DS al Coda
by mika zero-zero twenty-one
Summary: DO NOT READ. Old stuff poorly written. Still posted as a milestone, only for that sake.
1. Welcome to Generation 3

By some bizarre twist of fate, you managed to stumble upon my latest story! My name is Mika ((um. duh.)), and I'm plain crazy! In any case, welcome to my newest creation. Ok, it did take me a while to get you all set up for it, but here it is. There will be nine original cyborgs in this story, only one which I personally created. The rest were created by my friends for me. Domo arigatou, everyone!

Rating and reason: PG-13, because everyone curses quite a bit, there is a good deal of violence, there's romance, and there's…A BOTTLE OF MUSTARD! No, not the last one, but the others are valid.

Genres: Action, Romance, Humor, ((minor)) Fantasy, Drama and Adventure

I don't own Cyborg 009. Nope. Not mine. Shortaro Ishinomori's, that it is.

Well then, let me take you to the…

OooOooO

D.S. al Coda

Chapter One – Welcome to Generation 3

OooOooOooO

"Come down to dinner!"

"Hell no!"

"Eleanor Pierrot, you get down here right now!"

A girl with black hair that reached just beyond her shoulders sighed. She wore a small salmon pink top hat with a black band with red diamonds on her head. Anger was long etched into her cornflower blue eyes, which instead of being cute, made her look like a viscous animal. Around her neck was an upside-down heart pendant, made of rubies. On her upper half was a red tank top, hidden below a black and white striped shirt that revealed her shoulders and was too long, so her hands were inside the sleeves. She wore a pleated salmon pink skirt with a small red crown on the corner, and a white ruffled lace skirt stuck out from under it. Salmon pink socks reached her knees, noticeably baggy. The last thing she wore was a pair of shiny black Mary Jane shoes. She ran to the balcony of the stairs and flipped off a woman below with both fingers.

"I am not coming to dinner. That is fucking final." She said.

"It's not final, Eleanor. You are marching yourself down to the dining room this _instant_ or you _will_ be punished. You've known for months now that we're having the major CEO's of your father's business over tonight!" The woman shouted.

"And why the hell should I care?" Eleanor demanded from the balcony. "It's not like they're coming to play with me. Tell my siblings to get down there, then I'll consider it."

"They are down here." The woman answered, a warning tone in her voice. The doorbell rang. "And Eleanor, you better fly your ass down here!"

A man in a three-piece suit answered the large mahogany doors, jovially greeting the guests. Eleanor disappeared back into her bedroom to avoid the morons.

Eleanor Peirrot was by no definition normal. Her parents were filthy rich. Eleanor had an older sister and brother, which were supposed to be her 'role models'. Then again, this girl's entire family was stuck-up prisses, too preoccupied with money to remember anything about her. Eleanor was the youngest child, and quite often ignored. After about second grade, she had forgotten her charm and decided to be a brooder. Her parents hadn't noticed the significant change in her wardrobe, or the change in her grades. By that time, Eleanor had quit caring all together. Her father joined an organization called Black Ghost when Eleanor entered fourth grade. Eleanor had chosen that time to start rebelling against her family.

And did they notice? Hell no, they didn't.

So in seventh grade, after she'd used every curse in every known language at her parents and siblings, she slit her wrists. Sadly, her mother had found her bleeding onto the bedsheets and at _least_ called an ambulance. Eleanor had forgotten how to love, to thank, to have compassion long ago, so she wasn't very pleased when she woke up. Again, she tried in her freshman year of high school with the same trick.

She still has the marks from both attempts.

Now Eleanor is fifteen, but still being treated like a lap dog. She has command performances only at CEO meetings for her parents, but is in her room mostly for the rest of the time.

A thought popped into her head. She was on the fourth floor, and had her huge balcony to watch the cars go by on with the monster driveway below. It was a foolproof plan. There were a few cars out on the pavement, but Eleanor didn't care. She opened the glass doors and stepped onto the balcony. Up onto the railing it was for her. Eleanor surveyed the view she had enjoyed as a child one last time. She couldn't help but give a tiny smile to the trees. Slowly, she took one last breath of oxygen and exhaled it and she stepped off the railing.

As to embrace her death, she flung her arms outward. At an accelerated rate, she soon found out was it was like to have your neck snapped up into and impossible angle, and soon after, how much a four-story drop hurts. But there was no pain.

People dashed out. They didn't need to check for a pulse. Eleanor's blazing blue eyes were wide open, and her face had a ghastly smile painted on it. Two men lifted her up and put her into the back seat of a black car. They weren't going to the hospital, oh no they weren't. They had found the next test subject.

Eleanor's parents hadn't come out to witness the bloody scene of their daughter.

OooOooO

She was innocent. Tirzah didn't have any other defense to her situation.

It had started a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

Or maybe not.

Tirzah was a normal Liberal Arts Major student at a University in Israel. She was from the US but got transfer from her high school senior year when her father was called to action. She left the only boy who understood her, who was part of a New York Gang in the Bronx. She was from Brooklyn, but would visit her grandmother in the Bronx. There she met Jet. The two became friends when he saved her from the Black Sharks.

After that, the two started to get close but then she got transferred to Tel Aviv, Israel. She lived out her senior year in high school there then went into college to become a Performing Arts student. There she studied music, drama, dancing, singing, art, and creative writing. Basically, she can sing, dance, act, write, and paint as well. But above all she's a real good artist. Tirzah also learned how to speak three languages. Spanish (due to the wide population of Puerto Ricans in the Bronx), Hebrew (which she never uses considering it brings back memories of her past), and English (her main language). She's a half Jew/half Austrian and half Italian/half English.

While at school, she would often dance only. There was this guy there and he would always watch her. Though he seemed nice enough, he really worked for Black Ghost. So after seeing her dance all the time after school, alone. He called in a few of his buddies from Black Ghost and stake out a kidnapping.

Tirzah had just finish dancing and was packing up her stuff when the three guys walk in. All three were dressed in black suits. Tirzah felt threatened and tried to run. They ran after her but soon cornered her in an alleyway. They used gas bombs and knock her out cold. They dragged her poor body into the black car and took her to Black Ghost. There she was made into a cyborg.

Tirzah Ondrea Amethyset was only eighteen. Though warm and open she may not have been to strangers, she could warm up and become the best friend you'd ever find. Through her violet eyes, she'd viewed so much of the world and come to find which people to trust and who not to trust. Her auburn hair was short and curled at the ends, and white streaks raced through to fend off outsiders. The few that trusted her had dared to venture near, and found themselves entering into a ream of protection from the bullies. She had been so shy; that only half the people who came close even heard her voice. She was a shy child, sometimes not daring to venture from her own world.

Now that she was alone, no one was to protect the unconscious Tirzah in the back of the black car.

OooOooO

Seventeen-year-old Kimberly Ann Porsheka ran her fingers through her long, platinum blond hair. She undid the ponytail holder from her wrist and tied it all back into a high ponytail, then tugged two strands out to frame her face. Beaming at her reflection in the tiny, out-of-season Santa Clause mirror, she turned around.

"Kim! Get your ass over here!" A sales clerk called. The American/Italian shrugged.

"'The hell do you want?" She demanded, leaning on the register.

"I was about to tell you that you could take the rest of the day off, but if you don't want to, that's fine…" The clerk said, pushing his pair of glasses up the bridge of his nose. He gave a little snort of superiority and threw his weight around to look buff.

"In that case, later!" Kimberly shouted, already out the door of Holiday Boutique in uptown New York City. Then she turned onto a familiar street….

"_Kimmy! GET BACK IN! KIMMY!"_

"_Mommy, the butterfly's pretty! Can we buy it?"_

"_Not everything's for sale."_

"_I'll catch it, then!"_

_The little girl hung out of the car window, little arms outstretched to catch the blue butterfly that was just out of her grasp. Finally, the little hands clasped their prize, but the car moved on without her in the busy streets._

Kim sighed. "They just…left…"

"_Is little Kimmy-kins scared?"_

"_Shut up, Jet!"_

"_Make me!"_

She ground her teeth at that memory. Stupid Jet Link, always running around with his stupid-ass friends. Kim had hated Jet with a passion and liked to funnel her anger out on him. Living in the holiday shop wasn't exactly a trivial matter.

Her parents had moved to California over fifteen years ago, when she had chased a butterfly out the car window. After they had moved away to the sunny state that never had a white Christmas, or at least the counties that didn't, Kim had moved into a small holiday shop in hopes of finding someone to latch onto. Instead, she discovered Jet Link.

"Miss, MISS!" A strange taxi driver shouted.

"WHAT?" Kim demanded, whirling to face him.

"Would you like a ride?" He asked.

"No, I'm fine, thanks very much," Kim replied shortly.

"Are you sure?" He asked again.

"I'M POSITIVE!" Kim shouted. Someone popped out of the back seat, grabbed her, gagged her, and brought her in.

"Got her?" The driver asked.

"You bet. Let's get outta here before the cops show," The man in the back seat said. Kim lay immobile, blue eyes shut.

OooOooO

Andromeda Miriallia Taylor hummed a tune as she brushed her short red-gold hair. Her reflection in the mirror was no different: same fourteen-year-old girl, same gray eyes, same black sweatshirt, same red-gold hair.

"They only had themselves to blame…if you'd have been there, if you'd have seen it, I'll bet ya you would have done the same," She sang. Andromeda placed the brush down and stroked her hair. It was soft and plushy, like cat's fur. It was good.

"Now, what to do. It's Saturday!" She exclaimed, pulling on a pair of jeans and pink shoes. She tore down the stairs, then looked out the huge window in the living room. It looked cold and stormy outside at that point, chances of thunder high. Andromeda, or Anya, loved thunderstorms.

She raced outside into the humid area. It really felt like there was going to be thunder today. Lucky for her, she wouldn't care if she got stuck outdoors.

"Hey look, it's the gay girl!" A boy called from down the street. Anya's gray eyes became pinpoints of daggers. A small hammer plastic hammer came out of her back pocket.

"YOU BASTARD, MICHAEL!" Anya shouted, tearing down the street. Her hammer swung ominously. The boy had a smirk on his face.

"I know you wont," Michael said. "You're too scared."

"I'm scared?" Anya demanded. "I'm _scared?_ I'll make you_ terrified_!"

Her gray eyes were hard as stone as she dropped her toy hammer and gave Michael a hard kick in the groin. Michael let out a little gasp.

"You're not scary," He said. A black car drove up between the two. "And who the hell are you, riding around this area?"

"Could you tell me the way to Manhattan?" A passenger asked from the front seat. Anya put her hand on her hip.

"Listen, buddy. Give me five good reasons I shouldn't just take out my cell and call the cops right now, 'cause you look like a car bomber if I ever saw one." Anya said, holding out her black cell phone that as decorated by pink crescent moons.

"Here's why," The man said, reaching out of the car with a rag in his hand. He held it over Anya's mouth as she started to curse at him. Michael ran off.

Slowly and unwillingly, Anya fell into unconsciousness. The man climbed out of the car, picked Anya up, and threw her into the back seat.

"That was a good one," The man said with a small chuckle. The driver smiled and pulled down her cabbie cap.

"The last bimbo we picked up could have cared less," The driver said, turning the wheel and leaving the street. "Well, we only need five more now. After that, I think I'm going to head off to somewhere warm for vacation."

Anya began to wake up. The man laid the rag over her face again and they were off to get the next test subject.

On the way out, they drove over Anya's forgotten hammer.

OooOooO

Natasha Lea Williams sat outside on the grass, watching blankly as the clouds went by in the blue sky. It was nice to be free again.

Even though being free meant living in the streets, it didn't matter.

Tasha had been born in Tokyo, but it got worse from there on out. Her father had killed her mother, and then he abused Tasha. She had run as far has her five-year-old legs could have carried her. A Black Ghost employee found her crying, and took her back to headquarters with him. At that point, Tasha was too young to be of any use. They had taught her to hack, but that was about it.

At the age of thirteen, Black Ghost commissioned her to be reconstructed. She had found her way out of the base and saw sunlight for the first time in eight years. Tasha was in Idaho, and on the run. She had been living on the streets since then.

Today was special for her. Tasha ran her fingers over her thick black choker with its teardrop sapphire. It was four and a half years ago that day that she had escaped. Her blood-red dragon-shaped birthmark wasn't hidden by her black hoodie today. Her blue-green eyes were shimmering in the openness of the outskirts of Boise.

She stood up and began walking. It was a warm day, so she flexed her arms up into the air and stretched out. Her black shirt and blue jeans were worn soft with age. The hoodie around her waist was soft, too, but that made her love it more. In her arms was a small teddy bear that she had named Pooka when she was young.

Her orange hair fluttered softly in a breeze, tickling Tasha's shoulders. She laughed a little, then continued to walk through the knee-high grass.

_Something's coming,_ Tasha thought. _Something that isn't good. _She held Pooka closer to her chest.

Sure enough, a black car drove up behind her, for she had just reached the first road.

"Hello, miss. Are you headed into the city?" A woman with a black leather cabby hat asked. "We could take you there, and it would be much faster than walking."

If Tasha had learned anything, she knew not to trust people in black cars. "No, but thanks for the offer. I think I'll enjoy today, who knows what it could be tomorrow?"

"My point exactly." The woman said, hitting a pressure point on Tasha's arm, causing Tasha to faint. "This one could have put up a fight."

"Isn't that the same Natasha Williams we were supposed to capture?" A man asked from the driver's seat as the woman hoisted Tasha into the back seat.

"Hnnn..so it is. Killing two birds with one stone." The woman answered thoughtfully. She ducked back inside to the passenger seat. "Well, four more."

OooOooO

_I'm running…it hurts! Oh God, I think I'm gonna pass out…_

Hidoriko Miyami was on the run again from the cops for the fifth time to date. Her black bangs hung over her dark brown eye, dripping with sweat, and the rest of her hair was combed back into a sweat-soaked black ponytail. Her cocoa-colored skin was turning red.

_Come on; come on, just leave! _Riko thought, hoping telepathy would work. The cops didn't stop chasing her. _Damn it all, they aren't gone! Oh well, let's see if they can go over a rooftop!_

Riko climbed up a ladder in one of the Taiwan alleyways at top speed. Her long, silver chains clanged their way up after her, hooked onto her black pants. Her black t-shirt that read "NOT A STALKER: Your house is just wherever I walk" was clinging to her damp body. The black paint on her nails was chipping off, and then she reached the roof.

_Let's see if they can handle this,_ Riko thought as she charged across the roof. For one moment, she doubted she could make it across the two-meter gap between the next building. And then…

Her feet hit the roof. Riko laughed breathlessly and looked back to see the befuddled police watching her and calling on their radios. She held onto her stomach to try and ease the cramps away from running so hard.

Hidoriko Miyami was twenty-two years old and a damn proud Taiwanese girl. She had been on the run for a while from the police, but they could never quite catch her. The girl had been trying to get on a flight to America, and so was how the police started the great Riko Hunt. Riko was trying now to earn the wages needed, and it wasn't working either.

_I should get outta here. They're going to find a way up soon, _Riko said to herself and started running again. It hurt worse than before. She stopped again and looked down into the alley below her.

_Crap, I can't do this! _Riko screamed in her head. She sat down on the ledge. "DAMN YOU, YOU FUCKING WANT ME, COME AND FUCKING GET ME!"

"I couldn't help but hear you shouting," A man said, opening a door leading down into the building. "I was headed up for some fresh air."

"Hey, that's great for you," Riko said. "You have any openings in a job?"

"As a matter of fact, I do need some help," The man answered. Riko perked up.

"Let's go." She said, opening the door for the man and following him down.

"In the car," The man said. Riko got into the back seat and was promptly knocked out. "And now, we only need three more. I suggest you floor it, the cops are after this one,"

OooOooO

Ra was sitting in her living room, playing Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. Nothing was going on to be excited about. She flopped backward and turned the light on on her Gameboy SP.

Bored? Heck yeah.

"Shit. I'm bored." Ra muttered, standing up. She walked to her fridge and scanned its contents with her greenish eyes. "And holy fuck. What bastard cleared it out again?"

She flipped her short dirty-blond hair away from her face and returned to the game. As soon as she entered a battle with a heartless, she lost.

"Fuck. I'm going to go out and see what else there is to do."

So Ra pulled on a dark pair of shoes and shut her game down. Ra tossed the piece of machinery then onto an armchair and meandered her way outdoors. It was a cloudless, but nonetheless frozen, day. She walked down her block, watching the stupid ten-year-old boys run out in the street after a football.

Too bad if they got run over.

Ra pulled out her cell phone and check for nonexistent messages. She wasn't expecting any on the new flip phone she'd gotten from her parents, but still, it helped her meager social image to have one.

Ra selected a tree and climbed up to the highest reaches. Wind mussed up her short hair once more, and she didn't bother straightening it. Who was looking, anyway?

"Are you alright up there?" A woman's voice asked through the branches. Ra nearly fell down to hear someone.

"Are you _talking_ to me?" Ra called back down. She began her way down. "'Cause if you are, I'm perfectly fine. Why are you worrying about me?"

The fifteen-year-old five-foot-two Ra was standing in the middle of a tree, staring at a woman wearing a black scarf, black flared jeans, black t-shirt, black shoes, black leather bike gloves, and a black cabby cap with dark brown hair and darker eyes.

"You appear to be fine." The woman said politely, hopping up into the tree. She wasn't a woman at all, just a teenager. She smiled neatly, and pulled her cap down. "It's chilly out here! Would you like to come and ride with me back to your house?"

"I'm not a baby." Ra stated simply, then began to climb up again.

"Oh no you don't, I've looked all over for you," The teenager hissed, seizing Ra's ankle and tugging her down.

Ra fell through the branches, cutting her arms and legs open. She fell to the earth and landed on her back with a loud _SMACK_. The teenage girl in the cabby cap smiled widely and leapt down to where Ra lay. With no effort at all, the teenager picked Ra up, flung her over her shoulder, and carried Ra off to a black car.

"So you finally earned your keep." A man said, opening the back door. The teenager laughed and threw Ra in.

"You could say that. Your turn to drive. Two more." The girl said, slamming the door shut and climbing in the front seat.

OooOooO

_Well. This is pleasant._

Deak Deapolow sighed and led herself down another dark corridor. _Wonderful, I'm lost in the stupid base again. Two years isn't much, is it?_

Deak brushed the blond side fringe away from her face and flicked her dark brown ponytail through the darkness. _So this is just a test. Or is it a dream?_

If it was a dream, then so was the rest of her life.

Deak had been kidnapped when she was five and learned various defense moves.

Her dark hazel eyes flashed. _This is all a dream. I'm still frozen. Crap, those idiots. If you're watching this, you bastards, you'll know I'm fucking PISSED AS SHIT!_

As it turned out, it was a very _well organized _dream. Deak was wearing her favorite black muscle tee, dragon pendant, huge silver hoop earrings, flared jeans, and black, silver and red Nikes. Her dark hair was combed back as it always was, back into a high ponytail with her blond side fringes hanging down. Her hazel eyes were darker than usual, meaning she sensed danger.

Oh, brilliant. Are they trying to wake me up? No, they wouldn't. They're still waiting for a while…or at least I hope they are…

But Deak wasn't dreaming. There were people outside, trying to wake her.

Two years had gone by. Deak was nineteen now, lying in a hospital bed, frozen in cryogenic suspended animation. Her hair was tied back as it had been done two years ago, back in its ponytail. Deak's eyes were shut as she lay there.

_Well, Miss Deapolow, it's almost time for you little nap to end._

_Somehow, I get the feeling that a freaky, freaky bastard is watching me right now._

And suddenly, the hazel eyes snapped open for the first time in two years, only to be met with a blinding white light.

"Get her!"

Just as soon as Deak had gotten her first taste at freedom, Deak had been knocked out again.

"Page my partner. Tell her that we only need one more. Set your sights on California."

"Loud and clear!"

OooOooO

"And then…and then!"

A girl with mussed-up layered light brown hair knocked her head forward onto a metal table, laughing and laughing. She was turning sixteen in a few months. Her blue-green eyes were sparkling with tears of laughter, and the yellow sunflower-like area around her pupils was huge.

"Aren't you going to tell us, Sadie?" Another girl asked.

Sadie was her name. She wore a black t-shirt with "SHAKE IT LIKE A POLAROID PICTURE!" stamped across in white letters, faded jeans with frayed ends and seams, a knitted black scarf with flecks of sparkly colors, an indigo strap of cloth worn around her neck as a choker, several bracelets, and a pair of blue Converse. Her light brown hair hit her shoulders, then flipped slightly upwards, and had a zillion layers to it. Freckles dotted her somewhat tanned skin. Her ear lobes were each pierced twice, and each held one small gold hoop and a silver stud covered by an aquamarine.

Sadie wiped the tears from her eyes and began to simply laugh again. She gazed out the window and laughed at that too. There was a black car parked outside with a girl about her age getting out, wearing all black.

"Hey Rose, is that one of your friends?" Sadie asked.

The other girl looked for a minute. "No, that's not Hazel."

"And then he flashed me!" Sadie squealed, then burst into another giggle fit. Rose looked at her, then began to laugh too. The girl from the car was now in the small restaurant.

Sadie's eyes became more prominently gray. It was weird how her eyes did a color change when they wanted to.

Sadie had two younger sisters, Colleen and Grace. They were twelve, and really annoying little pests. But they were fun to play Monopoly with, and battle through the wireless adapter, and call, and do other goofy things with.

"Hey, what's up? Do I know ya?" Sadie asked, smiling kindly.

"I doubt you know me." The girl from the car answered, tilting her cabby cap over her eyes. "Is San Francisco far off?"

Sadie's eyes went to a harsher blue-gray. She could drive, if need be. "You're close. But I'm not telling you jack diddly squat."

The car girl knocked both Sadie and Rose out cold. Looking at both, she picked Sadie up and carried her off to her car. The employees could have cared less, for they were playing on their cell phones.

"See, I told you that I could," The girl pouted, tossing Sadie into the back seat. "Now, to get back. Are they expecting us?"

"Of course. Let's get moving if we want that bonus."

OooOooO

_SHIT! WHEN THE FUCK DID I FALL ASLEEP?_

Sadie opened her blue-green eyes. She was lying on a flat, cold metal bed. She looked at what she was wearing.

_How did I get to wearing this?_

She was wearing a blue uniform with gold buttons, a yellow cape, and black knee-high boots. Her hair had been restrained from her face by a blue headband, as she saw it in a broken mirror. It felt like a manga series had come to life and swept her into the pages and turned into her life.

"Now, I'd like a way out," Sadie mumbled to herself.

No sooner than the words had left her mouth had a petite door popped up, and wouldn't you know it, it had appeared on the ceiling. The ceiling was a glass dome.

"Wonderful. I wonder if I can jump?" Sadie asked herself, then took a small step and bounded upward.

"WHOO!" She cried happily as she broke through the glass.

"I-I-I-I-I-I-I didn't w-w-w-w-w-ake you u-u-u-u-u-u-u-p!" A male's voice stuttered. Sadie looked at him.

"Um. Wow. Can you tell me where I am?" Sadie asked him, looking around. It was a black room with several lights emitting from walls and control panel, and the glass dome she'd broken through.

(Hellooooooo? Can anyone hear me!) A voice echoed through Sadie's head.

_Aw fuck, I'm hearing things._

(Woooooowww. Now _I'm _hearing crazy fucks. All right. Who in fucking hell are you?) A darker voice asked.

"O-kay, I have no more time to wait around." Sadie said to herself. A door opened, flooding white light into the room as well as a huge robot. "AND KUSO!"

_I WANT A LEAD BRICK!_

A five-ton lead brick came crashing down onto the robot, but didn't take it out completely. Sadie grabbed its thick hand, tried lifting it, and whammed it hard onto the ground with a large explosion.

"Very good, 0021." Another male said. Sadie turned around.

She was standing in a completely different room now. There were eight other girls, all around her age, wearing the same blue-gold-black uniform as she was. There was also a person in a black cape with a black skull mask with round goldenrod eyes and a few rows of pearly whites.

"Well, look, we're clones." A girl with black hair and cornflower blue eyes snapped.

"As you can see, ladies, I've drawn you all here for a research project." The black figure said. A girl with golden-red hair and gray eyes gave a "bound and gag me" expression, then frowned. "You all have the latest accelerator. Each of you can run at speeds up to mach nine by pressing your upper left back tooth. You can lift up to twenty metric tons. You have fighting skills with arms and hand-to-hand. You each have a different capability."

"Wait. You're telling me that I _didn't _die when I fell off my balcony?" The black-haired girl demanded, eyes burning with fury. "You bastard, I WANTED to fucking DIE! My life sucks!"

"You're a cyborg now, 0043." The black figure replied. "You can also change form into anything you wish with a simple thought of what you would like to become."

"And the rest of us?" A platinum blond with remarkable Lapis-blue eyes asked.

"0016, you are capable firing plasma blasts up to four million degrees Celsius, or as low as negative 273.135 degrees Celsius." Black dude answered. 0016 raised an eyebrow. "0017, you are like a magnet, but only when you choose to be. You also have a mallet hammer which can fire missiles as you please." 0017 looked at a large mallet swung across her back for the first time with her fierce gray eyes.

"0034," The black guy said. "With the red hair. You have missiles in both your knees, a machine gun arm in your right arm, and you are able to control fire with your hands."

"And you, the one with the brown eyes. 0042. You are able to control any type of liquid you wish." The black figure explained. A girl with cocoa-colored skin and dark eyes flashed a brief smile. "You with the brown and blond hair, 0050. As you know, we have been training you. Your fighting skills in hand-to-hand and armed battles are superb, as you are also capable of flight with the rockets on your feet. As an ability that I did not authorize, you can jump from any anime series that has aired in Australia. And Mika, I will get back to you some other time."

A girl with dark brown hair and sapphire eyes dropped from the ceiling. "I'll see you in Coke Induced Madness to the Second Power, my minion!" She kicked the black dude, then climbed back up into her dark space.

"You, the one with the blue-green eyes. No, not you, 0021. The other one. I only authorized your capability to wield the Soul Eater blade. But otherwise, you can use the attacks Ragnarok, Omnislash, Zantetsuken, and Dark Aura. I think you can use a few other ones, though." The masked man said. "Your number is 0015."

"And the one with the violet eyes. 0014. You have control over the weather. You can do whatever you please to it."

"That leaves me," Sadie said. "What can I do?"

"The question is what you _can't _do. You were our test for the latest technology advance that allows the user to summon anything they desire, as well as use any ability. All of you are part of the Generation Three Cybernetics Project. You were created to help destroy other cyborgs of the previous two projects…" A picture came up on a wall of seven men, a woman, and a baby, "Who rebelled from this organization and tried to destroy the world.

"Your mission is to go out and bring them back, dead or alive. You'll have about a day to train for this." The black figure said. "I am Black Ghost."

"For some reason, I'm not buying your act, mister." 0017 said, crossing her arms. "If they rebelled, then why shouldn't we?"

And she clicked her acceleration switch and went through the walls at a speed of mach seven. Black Ghost watched the girl run, laughing at her plight.

"Guards! Sedate her, erase her memories of our meeting, then drop her somewhere." Black Ghost called, sending about twenty guards after 0017. In this period, 0034, 0050, and 0015 ran in separate directions with their accelerators going at full-hilt. "Sedate them also! Drop them in random locations! The rest of you are welcome to look around the base, just be prepared for when we call for you."

0021 shrugged. "Nice ta meet you. I guess you can call me 0021."

0043 looked at her. "What-fucking-ever. I'm going to see if I can try and commit suicide for the eighth time, and _no one_ had better come near me."

0016 sighed. "Well, have fun for me. I'll go see what I can do for fun."

0042 smiled. "No cops to run from! I'll be off jumping around, page me if you have any problems."

0014 blinked once at them. "I'll be somewhere. Don't look for me. I guess we'll see one another later."

OooOooO

"Oh sure, just go ahead and pick her up like that. You probably hurt her!"

"Well, why aren't you down here if _you _know so much?"

**Who am I? Where am I? How did I get wherever I am? And why do I hurt so much? Who are they? Why are they here?**

"Hey-she's waking up!"

A pair of gray eyes opened wide in shock. They looked up and down their owner's body, seeing a red uniform with gold buttons.

"Are you all right?" A man with silvery-blue hair and eyes asked her. The gray-eyed girl looked at him.

"Can you tell me who I am?" The girl asked, looking up into another man's garnet eyes.

"She's lost her memory." The garnet-eyed man said flatly.

"You mean she has _amnesia_, 002." A third man said.

"Wait, I remember my name!" The gray-eyed girl exclaimed suddenly. "My name is 0017. I can't remember anything but that. Why are you dressed the same as I am?"

"Professor Gilmore was right, she is a cyborg." The man with silver-blue eyes said. "In that case, 0017, I'm 004. This is 002…" He pointed to the man with garnet eyes. "And that's 009 over there. Are you sure that you can't remember anything else?"

"I can remember that I was in my driveway, yelling at that bastard down the street, and everything from there is a blank." 0017 answered him. "Why are you asking? Am I hurt? Where am I?"

"We're after an organization called Black Ghost, and we think that you're his latest cyborg." 009 replied. "You have a few cuts, but nothing important. You're in Kanagawa right now."

"Let's get her back to the Dolphin and see if there are any others. 003 says that she thinks that there are a few more like this one." 002 said. "0017. Would you mind if I used acceleration mode so we could get back faster?"

"Accelerator!" 0017 squealed delightedly. "I have one of those things! My upper left back tooth, I can run up to mach nine!"

"I thought you said you couldn't remember anything," 002 said.

"I don't know how I did!" 0017 whined, her red-gold hair swishing around her face.

"It's worse than we thought it was." 004 said, frowning. "Much worse."

OooOooOooO

I hope you all liked chapter one! It took me a looooong time to put it together, let me tell you that much. But it was way worth it!

Notes –

V-Gal – sorry if I got the stuff wrong…my bad…

Readers – gomen for my screwy entry…but hey, it was funny, ne?


	2. Returning to the DS

Here's in case you were confused with the name change…((creator cited like such))

0014 – Tirzah Amethyset ((from Vertia Girl))

0015 – Ra ((from Rachridgeback))

0016 – Kim Porsheka ((from Star-Kitten-The-Rebel-Cyborg))

0017 – Anya Taylor ((from Anya Urameshi))

0021 – Sadie ((from the creative forces of Sadie and Mika, LTD.))

0034 – Tasha Williams ((from Abandoned Child, a.k.a. AC))

0042 – Riko Miyami ((from lilanimefan1))

0043 – Eleanor Pierrot ((from Heather, not a member of this site))

0050 – Deak Deapolow ((from leo blazer))

I wouldn't go as far as calling me sama…jeez. But you people flooded my poor inbox with your reviews. Sadie was cracking up when she saw it. And we haven't even gotten started with what happened in Social Studies…:cracks up: Oh, and by the way, there is a little bit of weird stuff in this chapter. Sorry if it's kinda weird. But I think it makes it a lot funnier to read!

And by the way, I completely freaked out when I saw all the reviews after returning from Disneyland and California Adventure. It was one of the top-review on chapter one stories ever—second only to Extremely Insane House, and it kicked out The Cyborg Children even!

OooOooO

D.S. al Coda

Chapter Two: Returning to the D.S.

OooOooOooO

"We have to go and get them back?" 0021 asked, experimenting whether or not she could get rockets to shoot out of her feet. "Okay, sure! Let's see how they react."

"You do know, 0021, that they've forgotten who we are," 0042 said skeptically. "They've forgotten everything. Black Ghost is sending us to reawaken their memory and get them back on the right track."

0021 flicked her wrist and a hammer fell from mid-air. "Yay! I get to SMASH them!"

"I'm so happy you're happy, 0021," 0043 sarcastically said. "Let's go. I can't stand being around your happy attitude much longer."

"I forgot to mention something," 0042 added, smiling. "We have to put these red uniforms on over our blue ones. Red is the standard Generation 2 uniform." She flashed all her white teeth in the dark with her smile. 0021 scrunched her nose up. 0042 tossed the other four girls uniforms. 0016 smiled at it too.

"I hate the color red," 0021 mumbled.

"It's your uniform, isn't it?" 0016 asked her. "Why shouldn't you be able to do what you want with it? As long as it's red, I don't think that anyone's going to care."

OooOooO

"So you're telling me that you have no copies of Kingdom Hearts anywhere?" an annoyed 0015 asked, twitching beyond all control. "No fucking food I can live with. I might even survive a drought. But no _Riku_? Good Lord, how will I SURVIVE?"

0015, 0017, 0050 and 0034 had made themselves happy by camping out in various places, but it was normal to see 0015 stalking about, looking for a copy of Kingdom Hearts. The only thing that she knew that was connected in any form to KH was the Soul Eater blade that her beloved Riku weld in the game. Every other cyborg on board was trying to convince her that there was none to be found, but she would not take no for an answer.

0034, on the other hand, was trying hard to figure out how she'd nearly burnt the couch in her sleep. She had unleashed flames from her right hand, but when she had tried again to do it, it wouldn't come. 0017 had done something of a similar manner by calling all the cutlery out of the closed drawer and having it zoom toward her. When she had thought for it to stop about an inch before it sliced and diced her, it dropped lamely to the ground. The poor girl had been in tears trying to explain to Dr. Gilmore what she'd done.

0050 had been sitting in the control room, watching 002, 004 and 008 pilot the Dolphin through the ocean. The sight of all the schools of fish fascinated her, as did the occasional reef or two.

"Are you going to sit in here all day?" 002 asked after a few hours of having 0050 sitting behind him.

"Do you have a problem with it?" 0050 demanded. "And what is _that_ thing down there?"

She pointed to a red thing that was energetically waving its arm, along with four other red things lying about it. 009 had just entered with 003, and were being followed by 0017 and 0034.

"Hey…what is that thing that just swam up here? It looks like 0015!" 0017 exclaimed.

There was the waving red thing, smiling at them through the huge pane of glass. She was wearing the standard cyborg uniform. Her hair was light brown, her eyes a shade of blue-green with yellow surrounding the pupil, and there was a piece of indigo cloth wrapped around her neck. She pointed downwards, then smiled more.

"I think it's a parallel of 0015," 0034 said. 0015 entered upon hearing her name. She looked out the window and nearly screamed.

"I know…that face…" 0015 said. "But I can't remember from where…but she's a cyborg, the feeling she gives off is the same as you guys."

The cyborg outside looked like she was dragging them up. 004 saw the light becoming clearer, and the water becoming a lighter shade. Finally, he saw an unbroken plain of blue. The cyborg grabbed a small suitcase out of nowhere and smashed the glass inward.

"That's interesting, I was expecting something a little more exciting," The girl sighed, wringing her hair out. "I was looking for someone to help me. Those are my teammates down there, I don't know what happened…"

"Do you know who you are?" 009 asked, remembering the episode with 0017.

"My name is 0021. I don't understand why you want to know, though," The girl replied, leaping down to stand in front of him. "I apologize for this mess. Would you like me to fix it?"

Suddenly, a fish sprang from the water and landed where 0021 had been. In a second, the fish had become a tall human girl with black hair and cornflower blue eyes.

"0016 and the others'll be up soon," The new girl said. "What an interesting bunch of idiots we seem to have stumbled upon. Who decided this?"

"Are you saying that you planned for us to find you?" 002 demanded.

"No!" 0021 shouted. Her eyes blazed. The suitcase in her hand looked a lot more menacing all of a sudden.

"002 didn't mean anything by that," 003 apologized. "Did you, 002?"

"In any case, I _really_ don't care." The raven-haired girl said. "Could you just help us get our teammates and see if they're still alive?"

"I _do_ know you!" 0017 exclaimed. "Aren't you 0043?"

The fish girl's eyes widened. "That's correct. You're 0017. The one that looks like Miss Bubbles over there…" She jabbed her finger at 0021, who was repairing the glass, "Is 0015. And the one with the carrot top is 0034. Let's see…that means we're missing 0050."

A wave of whispers went through the room. 0021 finished her repair job and was admiring it. "Come on, I want to get down there and see if the other three are all right! I didn't fix this for nothing, ya know."

009, 008, 002, 003 and 004 stood looking dumbfounded at 0021 and 0043, who seemed to know everything about the four amnesic girls that they had discovered. 0021 was rearing to go, and was now finger-combing her hair.

"If you just want to watch me all day, then have fun!" 0021 said happily, sitting herself down in the chair 002 had evacuated. She soon picked up the gist of the controls and dove back down, leaving 009 to wonder more.

"0021…can you remember anything besides your name?" 009 asked her. 0021 turned and looked at him with the smile wiped from her face.

"I can remember being downtown with one of my friends when this weird girl walked in, and after that, I don't remember much besides waking up and getting out with the other four girls from my team." 0021 answered. 009 gazed sympathetically back at her. 0021 turned her focus back on the controls.

Perfect. He's totally fallen for it! None of them have any clue who or what we are…or who the four girls with them are for that matter. 0021 thought, seeing the other three girls coming into view. 0042 was standing up, shaking her black hair out.

"That's 0042 who is standing up," 0043 said from behind 0021. "The blonde one is 0016 and the last is 0014."

0042 turned and looked up to see the Dolphin with 0021 piloting. This is all going according to the plan. I wonder what time it is. I hope it's near dinner…I'm starving…or if that's past, I'll settle for reawakening some memories. She waved them down.

OooOooO

Time had passed and introductions had been made. The five new girls had found places to sleep that night. But little did anyone know what was going to wake up that night as they slept.

"0042? 0042! Are you still awake?" 0016 hissed. She saw a flash of white teeth in response.

"I think it's 0021 you need to worry about," 0042 whispered in reply, rising from her position on the ground.

"I couldn't sleep if my life depended on it!" 0021 whispered. "Shall we wake something up?"

"Not those two, for certain," 0016 said, pointing at 0043 and 0014. "I'll set off 0050. 0042, you take 0034's memory. 0021, deal with 0015 and 0017. Got it?"

0021 smiled at them and ripped the red uniform off. "We aren't going to need them any more. With all the noise that they're going to make, 009 and his gang will be up in no time at all. And by that time, they'll have figured out who it was. Have 0043 and 0014 on standby in case anything goes wrong. Otherwise, have fun!"

0016 and 0042 slowly removed their red uniforms before letting 0016 melt their atoms to bits, then they took off down separate corridors. It wasn't long until 0042 came across 0034's sleeping area. 0042 gently prodded her until she woke up.

"0042…what're you doing here?" 0034 asked, rubbing her sleepy blue-green eyes. "I'm pretty sure that it's late…"

"Can you remember me from anywhere before?" 0042 asked her. I hope I'm doing this the right way!

0034 focused her eyes on 0042. 0042 flashed a smile, then 0034 gasped. 0034 looked at her hands, then screamed like all hell had broken loose.

"You…me…them…" 0034 gasped. 0042 nodded.

"See, you do remember," 0042 said. "Are you still part of the mission?"

0034 shook her head. "Hell no, bitch. They helped me."

0042 shrugged. "Suit yourself. Besides, we are like sisters. We wear the same uniform."

"No we don't!" 0034 shrieked, trying to deal away the truth.

0042 destroyed the red fabric with a slash of her nails. "Yes we do."

0021 found 0015 and 0017 sleeping relatively close to one another. 0015 had her arms locked around her blade, protecting it from everything. 0017 was using her hammer as a pillow.

"0015…0017…can ya hear me?" 0021 whispered. 0017 woke quickly.

"Is something the matter…EEEEEEEEEE!" 0017 screamed, covering her eyes. 0021 jumped back.

That took less than I thought it would. 0021 thought, watching 0017 shove 0015 around until she had woken up. 0015 looked at 0021 for a moment.

"Hey…I can remember where I've seen you before…" 0015 said dazedly. She looked at 0017, whose pupils were like pinpoints; "You're from Black Ghost! I am too! I'm a cyborg from Generation Three! But why the fuck didn't I remember before…"

0015 stood up and tore the red uniforms from her own and 0017's bodies. "Come on, 0017, we have to warn the others."

"Wait a second, you two," 0021 said, completely amazed by how little effort it had taken, "Are you still part of the mission?"

"Screw the effing mission," 0017 grumbled, picking up her hammer. 0021 fled with her accelerator before 0017 got the chance to unleash a missile.

0050 was sitting awake in the control room, watching the Dolphin pilot through the dark blue waters. 0016 slipped in, and 0050 turned around.

"Oh, hello, 0016…" 0050 muttered, returning her focus on the water. "What brings you in here?"

"Look at me, 0050," 0016 said. 0050 turned around and looked into the Lapis-blue eyes, and let loose a murderous scream. "Are you still in on the mission?"

"I most certainly am not part of your fucking mission!" 0050 shouted. 0016 tore her uniform off.

"If you aren't, then why are you wearing the same uniform that I'm wearing?" 0016 asked her slyly. 0050 shook her head and ran from the room. "0021, I know that you're behind me."

0021 made herself visible. "Their memories have returned. 009 just woke up, as did 002 and 008. 0043 is coming, or at least she was when I was passing…"

"I'm right here," 0043 said, changing from a computer into her human shape. "How could I sleep through that racket? Shit, you would have thought that they liked having the gaping void filled. But no, they had to scream."

"Stay right where you are," 002 said, holding his blaster at the three.

"Or what?" 0043 asked, waving him off. "You'll attack us with your nose?"

"We'll stay right here," 0021 said, laughing at him. "But how can you guarantee that we won't do anything?"

With that, 0016's fingertips began to glow with a blue light. 0043 stood watching him, and 0021 called her small suitcase back.

"Well, we're waiting," 0021 said happily, swinging her suitcase around. "Or should I introduce you to the box of DOOM?"

"009!" 002 shouted. 009 ran in and found the four. 0021 started laughing.

"That was a deadly mistake," 0021 said, throwing the boD at them with full force. "You idiot. If you hadn't called for backup, we could have saved a lot of time. But no, you had to make it hard! 0043, would you?"

0043 changed into a white tiger with no effort whatsoever. She pounced at 009, then ran behind him out of the control room. In no time, the girl was pulling them to the surface.

"Are you ready to party?" 0021 asked, jumping through the window out into the indigo night sky. 0043 was standing on the water, snickering at them.

"You fuckers are never going to guess what we have planned," She crooned. "Not even they do. They're as clueless as my family!"

And 0021 sent fire from her palms, laughing as she ran out to join 0043. 0015 entered with 0017.

"Hang on a second, party animal," 0017 shouted, sending a missile from her hammer. 0021 held up her hand and blocked the blow, and then laughed like the maniac she was and sent several hundred bullets at them.

"It wouldn't be fun without us," 0042 said merrily, commanding the water into a whirlpool and sending it around the opposing team. "That's what ya get for messing with 0042!"

0021 smiled and high-fived 0042. The Keyblade from Kingdom Hearts appeared in her hands, and she laughed at it. 0042 waved her hand and the whirlpool dissolved, leaving only bubbly remains floating about. 0016 took her stand.

"Hey 004…do you know what temperature atoms freeze at?" 0016 asked, igniting her blue lights again. She waited a second, then said, "BEEEMP! That's the incorrect answer, sir! Atoms freeze at negative 273.135 degrees Celsius, as you're about to find out!"

The light shot from her fingers, but before it reached 004, a huge strip of metal took the blast and crumpled into nothing. 0017 stood, the mallet swung across her back, and drawing metal objects close.

002 lit his jets and flew out to attack the four girls out on the ocean. Before he got there, the four were gone into thin air.

"GO AFTER 'EM!" 0015 shouted, clicking her accelerator. "They're only at mach four right now! If you hurry you can catch up!"

0021 saw her clone running after her, shooting dark energy balls from her hands. 0021 laughed at 0015 and sped up to mach nine.

She saw him standing there.

But it wasn't soon enough.

002 grabbed her and flew up with her, and 0021 squirmed and writhed and bit and burned and froze and did everything she could to get him to let go. But no matter how hard she tried, he wouldn't let her free. She saw 0043 flying up after them as a 002-clone, with 007 behind her as a crow.

"You bastard!" 0021 screamed, then drove the Keyblade into his leg. She gained control of herself again and got jets to spring from her own feet. "You don't come near me again like that!"

She flew down before 002 began his own fall. 0021 didn't care about him. She called rain and sent it pummeling down on the rebel cyborgs, with 0042's help. 0043 swooped back down, and gave 007 over to 0021.

"Just…don't…!" He squeaked. 0021 laughed.

"Oh, I have a much better idea," 0021 said. "After the bastard attacked me, I have an idea for you…"

0043 caught on fast. "Our hostage. Of course. They'll be too scared to fire on us if they know that we have one of them with us."

0021 got rid of the Keyblade and replaced it with a small pocketknife. 002 right on top of 0050 as 0021 stood watching. A second later, she was cracking up.

"0043, keep this guy under control. I'll go and do something else for a moment," 0021 said, handing 0043 the knife. 0021 walked over to where the others stood. She took a blaster from mid-air and fired it at all but 009, and all fell still into a deep sleep.

"It seems like it will come down to us," 0021 said, stepping over 002. "This is what you get for messing with Generation Three. Are you ready to have some fun?"

0021 held up her hands and a wall of flames shot up. "Any funny moves and you can kiss 007 good-night."

"0021, you're still a human! Why are you doing this?" 003 asked, waking up. 0021 blinked at her.

After a minute of thought, 0021 smiled and whipped out two samurai blades. "Because I'm an American teenager with nothing better to do!"

"Damn it, 002, how much do you weigh?" And agitated 0050 grumbled, throwing 002 off her chest with no effort at all. "0021, these aren't bad people! You know that I'm not a bad person…don't you?"

009 lunged for an attack. 0043 cut off a shred of 007's uniform. "We have a lot more that we can do in a short amount of time. Shall we cut to the chase or wait a little longer?"

0021 slashed with her swords. The five hits she almost made were blocked by a certain blade, which was being weld by 0015. 0015 smiled at 0021. 0021 transformed her swords into the Keyblade once more.

"STOP IT!" 0014 bellowed. Rain began to pour from the skies without a single cloud in sight. Lightning clapped and thunder boomed. 0017 gazed fixedly at it, in total fascination with it. "Why in hell's name are you fighting like this, 0021? You too, 0043 and 0016. There is no need! Do you hear me? **NO FUCKING NEED!** I KNOW 002 FROM BEFORE!"

0016 froze amid calling a fire-colored light to her fingers. She walked across the churning seas to where 002 lay motionless and turned his face in her hands.

"But…that's…not possible…" 0016 whispered, frightened by it. "Jet left such a long time ago…not that I wasn't happy, of course."

With that, she slapped his across the face until he woke up. When he looked up at her with his garnet eyes, she stared back down with her own harsh Lapis-colored eyes.

"Kim?" 002 asked. She punched him in the face.

"Back and better than ever. Do you know what point atoms melt at?" She demanded, tossing him a few feet away. "Wrong. Four million degrees Celsius was the answer I was looking for. But you'll find it out soon enough for yourself what it feels like!"

And the fire danced at her fingers and flew toward him, but it was blocked yet again.

But this time it that been a missile that had blocked it.

"Uhh…which one of you was that?" 0017 asked, snapping back into reality. "Wasn't me, that's for certain."

"MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM, BITCH!" 0034 shouted over the tumultuous rain. She was kneeling down with one hand over her left leg, then moved her hand and let another missile loose.

"Okay, I've just fucking had it over here. I said not to pull off any gay shit, and look what you go and do. Well, fuckers, say bye-bye to 007!" 0043 shouted. 0014 clenched her fists and the ocean writhed around, churning so no one could do anything.

0021 had been missing now for five minutes. 009 turned to look for her.

And it proved to be a fatal mistake that no one had noticed her absence before.

"Am I buff or what?" A pleased 0021 asked, lifting the Dolphin with one had and holding the Keyblade locked with the Soul Eater in the other. "And that's not even the start! Watch now how I defeat 0015 and crush the Dolphin at the same time!"

Fire sprang to life beneath the Dolphin and began to melt it. 0021 pulled the Keyblade toward her body, and 0015 saw how much 0021 was focusing on the fire, and took the opportunity.

"You're mine," 0015 hissed, slashing 0021's right arm with the tip of her blade. 0021 gasped and called the fire away, placed the Dolphin back down, then clung to her arm and cried.

"So by this time, you're stupid enough to do stuff like that?" 0021 asked through her tears. White light blazed beneath her palm and she moved her hand away. The blood had stopped flowing and the skin was patched. 0015 looked horrified.

Lightning clapped between the two clones' faces. 0015 and 0021 looked at one another's faces as the eerie blue light illuminated them the blast caused. One attacked the other right as the blast faded.

"Now we're even, aren't we?" 0015 asked. As soon as she began to smile for the first time, 0021 stood up and laughed. "You little bitch, 0021."

"Run, run, run, as fast as you can! You can't catch me, cause you ain't the gingerbread man!" 0021 squealed, darting off with her acceleration switch. 0015 rolled her eyes.

"There won't be any pain, I promise," 0043 said, watching 007 twitch as she admired the knife's silver blade. "I've tried to die ten times and it has never hurt me. The first minute or so has a little bit of pain, but after that, you can't feel anything. Your senses slowly fade into the darkness, and your vision goes last. Once it's gone, you find yourself in your favorite place. You see what it was like. Everything shines around you, and then goes completely dark. If you're luck, it'll stay that way."

"I can't get them to chase me," A dejected 0021 sighed. 009 stopped in front of the two and looked at 0043, who had already cut an inch-long slit across 007's neck. 0043 smiled up at him.

"Ready?" 0043 asked him. 0021 bounced with happiness.

"I'm fast! You can play with me!" 0021 said happily, running at only mach two. "This is soooooo boring. I know! I can THUNDERIZE you!"

Lightning crackled from her fingers, where it targeted 009. 009 was running after the deranged teenager, trying to avoid the volts. 0021 laughed and sped up to mach nine.

"I can't keep up with her any longer," 009 said, pulling out of acceleration mode. 0050 frowned at him.

"I'll chase her." 0050 said, cracking her knuckles and grinning. "Quit acting so down. I just like being outside. I haven't seen the outdoors in…a very long, long time."

And she left him wondering as she went after 0021 in acceleration mode. 0014 stepped over to where the other girl had been.

"Do you mind that I was a bitch?" 0014 asked 004 outright. "Because I know I was. My mistake. But since you have Jet with you, I think it's safe to assume you're on the right side. Let me re-introduce myself. I am 0014."

"And I'm BOP-IT!" 0021 exclaimed, running around behind her. She zipped through the Dolphin, then began to float away in the air. 0050 stood dumbfounded on the ground, wondering what was going on.

"If you're going to kill him, do it fast, 0016," 0042 urged 0016. 0016 held up her hands and called her blue light. "Hey 0043, are you almost done over there?"

"You could say that," 0043 replied. "Shall I mutilate him or completely ruin his life?"

"Where 002 is going, there will be no reprieve," 0016 growled, sending the light at him. "No matter what. Let's see…how shall I destroy you? With one blast or many slow ones, just to make you suffer?"

"Please Kim," 002 pleaded. "I'm sorry. I never meant to do any of it!"

"Sure," 0016 snarled, letting the light freeze 002's unblasted leg. 0014 jumped in front and 0016 recalled the blast.

"0014," 0016 said. "Why in hell are you protecting him?"

"He was my friend," 0014 replied. The storm picked up and the ground rumbled. "My best friend. I loved him. He loved me."

0016 screamed in frustration and burned with her red-yellow-orange light and drew herself together. She turned around and expelled the tongues of fire, which melted everything, including the water.

"Hot stuff!" 0021 exclaimed, hovering again.

"You're defying the laws of physics," 0014 noted.

"Exactly!" 0021 replied, her face becoming very happy and she clapped her hands together. "Wait until you see my next trick!"

And she pulled out a top hat and a magic wand. With the wand, she tapped the hat twice and yanked an invisible entity out of it.

"I'm happy that no one is paying attention to us," 0043 said. "This idiot is half dead and you could all care less. Fine with me."

0015 raised her sword above her head and was illuminated by a blast of purple. She sent the sword crashing down onto the waves, her legs spread apart and her body halfway bent over. The waves raised and split in two, opening a great gap. 0015 walked across the gap to where 0043 stood.

"Fork him over." 0015 commanded. 0043 grinned evilly.

"I never took commands from anyone, and I'm not about to take them from someone that's my age," 0043 said. 0015 gave her a warning glance. 0043 waved it off and became a clone of 001. "You wouldn't hurt a baby, and even if you tried, I've copied everything about him. Or maybe…" She transformed into a copy of 0015, "You can't hurt yourself."

002 raised his blaster and shot at the absentminded 0021. 0021 screamed a few choice words, then pulled a frying pan out of nowhere and zoomed down to 002. She began to pummel him with it until 0014 clobbered her in the head with a blaster. 0021 fell motionless and sunk to the ground, form where she didn't rise again.

"That one is the devil's personification, I tell you," 009 said. "Any move you try and get in on her, she comes up with something better. Should I ask the professor to run a scan to see what Black Ghost did to her?"

0014 looked at him with goggling eyes. "...that sounded really perverted, 009."

0016 used her fire again. This time, the flames licked 0034's hair. 0034 thought it was 0043, so she pounced and attacked. 0043 didn't have any time to react, so she was left hopeless and was knocked out.

0016 was the last left standing. 0015 used the tip of her blade again to slash 0016's right leg, leaving the girl to loose a ton of blood and faint from the loss.

"You forgot someone," 0042 said, grinning with her full mouth of teeth. She rose from beneath the water on a pillar of bubbles. "Have you had your eight glasses of water today? I don't think you have, or at least not 0042-style!"

With that, she freed a tirade of magma from where 0015 had split the ocean. It flew around the bubbles and floated around 0042's midriff in a star shape. 0042 bid it to fly at 009.

0017, on the spur of the moment, held up her hands and a white shield shot up around them. 0017 looked at her hands and smiled. In seconds, the cutlery was zooming out toward them. This time, 0017 urged it on, and 0042 was too busy cheering herself on to notice the knives. She fell from her pillar into the ocean, which had returned to normal now. The storm calmed down to a light drizzle.

"That was fun," 0050 remarked sarcastically. "But after two years being stuck asleep, I guess it qualifies as the best time I've ever had!"

"Should we take them to see the professor? I somehow feel connected and responsible for this mess with the four of them," 0015 added. "But of course, we'll have to strap them down and make sure 0021 can't burn or freeze or do anything to get out." She smiled widely.

"Any way you put it, you're…" 0014 said, poking 002, "…going to need help getting yourself back together."

OooOooO

"Turn the lights off, mommy…I said seven forty-five!" 0021 said, waking up to a room of white light. She closed her eyes, but the light was still there. "Okay, Bean, that's enough…I need sleeeeeeepppp..."

"She's interesting to listen to," 0017 said. "Well, she'll be the first to wake up. Shall I do it now so we don't run into any troubles?"

"I won't hurt you if you don't hurt me," 0021 said to 0017, sitting up. 0021 was cross-legged, fully awake, and holding a gun at Gilmore. "So here are my questions: how long have I been here, where am I, why am I here, why are you taking care of me, and how long did you listen to my talking?"

"You've been here for three days, you're in the Dolphin's infirmary, you're here because 0014 knocked you out, we're taking care of you because we expect something in return for it, and we listened to you ten minutes." 0017 rattled off. 0021 lowered the gun.

"What are we talking for in return?" 0021 asked. "Anything, basically, is yours."

"What we want," 0017 said, "Is your help."

"Help? I am hardly making my way through Algebra 3-4, doing well in physics, kicking butt in swimming, making progress in my French, and we'll get into the rest later," 0021 replied, flexing her right leg. "Or do you mean something else?"

"That's right. We want your help in our fight against the Black Ghost." 0017 explained.

"Wait just a second," 0021 said, holding up her hands. "You're asking the wrong girl for this. Ask one of them. I'm outfitted to survive my college prep classes, swim fast, and do not much more. Black Ghost gave me the gift to summon anything I wanted at any time, and that's the whole of my skill. I can not fight for my life. Ask 0043. Ask 0016. Ask anyone else, just not me."

"You seem more capable than I am," 0017 said. "I'm fourteen. Live with it. You can help if you wanted to."

"I came from Black Ghost thinking you were out to destroy the world," 0021 said. "But you've helped me. I don't think the others will like it very much, but I will help you. By the way, I know it's off-topic, but did I permanently damage 002? Did 0043 seriously mutilate 007 like she said she would?"

0017 smiled. "You scared 002, but no lasting physical damage. 007's fine. The only thing that's wrong with him is 0043. I can really not understand how he works. All he says is how scary 0043 is, and yet how her ferocity is like a rose. Or it was something like that."

"Aw, I was hoping to seriously hurt the bastard," 0021 sighed. "But oh well, I suppose. I hope you realize that this is only temporary. Am I dismissed?"

"No funny moves." 0017 ordered. 0021 saluted and winked, then stood up.

"Should I keep wearing this or change into something more…original?" 0021 asked, turning her head to look at her uniform. "I guess I'll keep wearing it for now. I can always change back into my regular clothes."

With that, she wandered out. As she did, she hummed a strain of music.

"Notes to self, number three: never try and have a conversation with 0021." 0017 said to herself. "She might kill you in the middle of it."

"I heard that," 0021 called from outside. 0017 rolled her eyes.

0021 sat down out of pure randomness. She pulled her cell phone from mid-air and looked if there was an operating company nearby. But wouldn't you have known, she was roaming. 0021 smiled briefly as she looked at the screen, which was currently displaying her sisters, parents and herself from summer vacation.

"What are you doing here?" 0015 asked, looking down. "I thought I told 0017 to bind and gag you until we knew it was safe."

"It is safe," 0021 replied. "I agreed to your terms of service. You like Kingdom Hearts?"

"Yeah, but they don't have it anywhere around here," 0015 said.

"Say no more," 0021 answered. A second later there was a Gameboy SP with a copy of the game in 0015's hands. 0015 wandered off again, playing the game.

0021 returned to flipping through the pictures on her phone. There was one of her sisters with each other's clothes on, one of her two dogs, one of her and her gang of friends, and numerous others. The last one was a silhouette of her in front of the ocean, the sun blazing behind her.

"Nice picture," 0034 commented. "You or one of your friends?"

This time, 0021 stood up. "That's me, over summer vacation. Why're you askin'?"

"Just wondering," 0034 replied. "Because we might be stuck together for a very long time and I want to know as much as I can."

0021 smiled. "That's good. So…0034…where do you hark from?"

"Later. I still don't know if you're my ally or foe." 0034 said. There was a loud curse shouted and 0034 dashed off.

"I do hope that they're having fun in there," 0021 chuckled. She looked at the picture once more. "And I hope that none of our families miss us as badly as I think they do."

Her smile drooped, and she walked out to the living room. 0015 was camped out on the couch, playing her game, 0014 was poking 002, and 009 was sitting alone. 0014 took notice as 0021 entered.

"So, 0015 was right about that. But was 0017 letting you out to stretch your legs or what?" 0014 asked. 0021 shrugged in response.

"I said that it was fine, and I agreed to help you for the present time. But the other three, I don't think you'll get off as easily." 0021 answered simply. "There's always the snowball's chance in hell that I'm playing you and I might pulverize you any second, but I doubt that I will."

"You're more confusing than 007 on one of his rants," 0015 commented. "And that takes quite a bit of effort."

"Hent, oh well for me," 0021 remarked airily. "I'll see what weird stuff I can stir up. If I can, I'll see if I can expand this thing as to fit all of us in."

"Have fun," 0014 said. 0021 flicked her hair back and laughed.

"People always tell me to do that, and ya know, I usually don't."

OooOooOooO

Kind of a weird ending. But I think it suits this chapter! I just found out that my fucked-up high school will start on the fucking sixteenth of August, unless two girls join forces and get their class to petition against it! HELL YEAH!

The chapter's title's meaning – when you take the D.S., you have followed the song until the place before you go back to a marked place in the song. The place will be somewhere after the opening sequence, and you will follow it until you take the Coda. When I say "D.S. al Coda," I mean the last part of the song that you took the Coda to get to. Music people will get this better than you others will.

See ya next time, everyone!


	3. Heavy Metal Quartet

Hell yeah, baby! We are going strong as a brick shithouse with this story! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! I have the main bad people, and they are non-authors ((real people from my real world)) and authoresses. So hang on tight, because we are about to take off with romance and more drama than will fit on your screen at once starting in this chapter!

TO MEASURE SEVENTEEN! ((where there is excessive 002 slapping, excessive use of 0021's nickname for 002, the female taxi driver has an identity that'll rock yer socks off, and really weird stuff happens.))

Oh, by the way, this covers last chapter's missing disclaimer! I only own 0021, and not even her…but I do own Marco, Andrew, Pierre and Josephine! You'll meet these four…and they are very interesting…yes they are…This means I don't own 0037, 0049 or 0061…they come by some time in the near future…((see if you can figure out this chapter's name's meaning…))

&-&-&-

D.S. al Coda

Chapter Three: Heavy Metal Quartet

&-&-&-&-

"She's normal!" 0017 exclaimed. "There's nothing out of the ordinary about her! Except, of course, she has violent mood swings, likes music a whole hell of a lot, and changes topics on the spur of the moment, she's an ordinary girl from California."

"Next thing you're going to tell us is that 0043 loves to have sex and pick dandelions," 002 grumbled. 0017 slapped him.

"She's suicidal. Apparently, when Black Ghost kidnapped her, she had walked purposely off her fourth-story balcony while her parents and siblings were meeting downstairs with Scarl's eldest daughter." She answered. "The Pierrot family, evidently, has been closely intertwined with the Black Ghost Organization for several years. Oh, and by the way, this is all stuff Doctor Gilmore and I dug up while they were out cold.

"0016 is from New York, specifically raised in a holiday shop. According to her memories, a certain Jet Link beat her up from the age of seven to the time he vanished without a clue. Fairly ordinary, also.

"0042 is from Taiwan, and on the run from the police. Her parents are long dead, and for the past four years, she's been trying to buy a plane ticket into America. There's nothing else really of thought on her."

"You say that Scarl has a daughter," 004 said. 0017 nodded.

"That's right, 004. Scarl, the son of Black Ghost, or at least believed to be, has four children. Three are males and the eldest is female, and she handles all sales of nuclear grade weapons." 0017 replied.

0021, 0043, 0016 and 0042 had been sedated once more after waking up and moving about for a few minutes. They were strapped down to the ground in the Dolphin's living room, being watched by everyone. 0017 and Dr. Gilmore had sifted through their memories to see what they could find out about Generation 3. 003 was asleep.

"We even have a picture of her," 0017 added. A picture came up on the wall, and for a second, four of the females in the room looked ready to pass out.

The girl had dark brown hair and eyes, and wore all black. Her hair was neatly center parted and was wavy. Her black dress included a cabby cap, jeans, shoes, a scarf, a t-shirt, and biker gloves.

"Her name is Josephine," 0017 explained. "Her three brothers are Pierre, Marco and Andrew, and that's in order from eldest to youngest. What you find out next may surprise you."

"Josephine was the one who seduced me!" 0015 exclaimed suddenly. "The little bitch, she deals with you like a baby."

"I already told you she handles sales of nuclear weaponry," 0017 replied, getting irritated. "Scarl's three sons are three of the main engineers in the second and third generations. I think Doctor Gilmore said that they were the three that came up with the modified accelerator and all our abilities."

"How old are they?" 009 asked.

"Josephine will be twenty this November, Pierre is turning nineteen in October, Marco just turned eighteen, and Andrew will be seventeen in December. If I'm correct…" 0017 showed pictures of the three boys, "Marco was with her. But I could be incorrect, and it's entirely likely that the two didn't know one another."

"Which is which?" 0034 asked. "We don't know."

"The one on the right is Andrew, in front is Marco, and left is Pierre," 0017 said.

All three of the boys wore black t-shirts, biker gloves, jeans and shoes. Andrew had jet-black hair and dark brown eyes, Marco had slightly less brown hair than Josephine but the same dark eyes, and Pierre had Josephine's hair color, but had colbat blue eyes that set him apart from the others.

"No, none of the boys were there," 0034 remarked. "The man who talked to me was a lot older than any of them."

"Did those four…know all this?" 0014 asked. "It seems odd that they know so much. I remember meeting them before, and we were all given the same message."

"Find them and kill them." 0017, 0014, 0034, 0050 and 0015 said in unison. "That is your mission. I am Black Ghost."

"I remember that perfectly," 0015 said. "Then 0017 made a run for it, then the other three of us did. Next thing I remember is waking up with a face full of 008."

"Might I ask why in hell I'm tied down?" A thoroughly pissed off 0021 demanded. 0034 sent her a flameball.

"Shut the hell up, we're talking about you!" 0034 shouted. 0021 ground her teeth. Instead of a tiny ball of flame, there was a steady shower of them.

"Just…kidding!" 0021 exclaimed happily, and the fires ceased.

"Why are you awake?" 0017 asked. "You were supposed to be asleep so we could talk about you and plot your downfall!"

"No, you were just going to keep talking about Scarl's kiddies." Mika said. 0017 did an anime-style sweatdrop. "Sorry for being a convenient plot device. Next time I'll send my onee-kun. Until then, have a nice life!"

And she vanished, leaving everyone with those weird eyes.

"That...was…rather interesting," 007 commented. "0021, was that you?"

"No, that was Mika," 0021 answered, using a buzz saw to get out of her bindings. "Back to what you were saying about this whole 008 thing?"

"And about my family, and about those four freaks that show up at my house every other month, explain yourselves this instant." 0043 added, turning from a couch pillow into her normal shape. "I'm sure 0042 and 0016 would also _love_ to know why you've been talking about them."

"I thought you had all agreed to our terms of occupation," 0050 noted. "You're on our side now."

"It doesn't mean we can't be in on your conversations about us, does it?" 0021 asked, knowing she'd backed them into a corner. "We win. We'll wake the others up and you can continue your conversation."

"I don't think we have anything more to yap about," 0015 said, returning to Kingdom Hearts. "And why you were back asleep, I have no clue as to that. 0017 should be able to answer it, though."

"Fine with me," 0043 said. "I _would_ tell you what the four idiots are like, but instead, this is all called off. So, then, I'll be off somewhere with a nice, sharp object. If I am bleeding profusely, please do not wake me up or move me from my location. I will already be dead."

"You know them?" 002 demanded. 0043 tapped her foot.

"No, I really am fucking kidding you. Of course I know about fucking Josephine, Pierre, Marco and Andrew! Those idiots show up every so often and bug the living hell out of me." 0043 answered.

Something began to ring out the Heart of Sword MIDI theme. 0021 beamed and grabbed her cell phone from mid-air.

"Heyness, this is she who you have buzzed!" 0021 exclaimed. "Oh, screw you. Laterness!" She hung up. "Sorry, that was someone from school. I guess now that I'm like this…I can't really go back any time soon."

"I told you." 0017 said. "Mood swings."

"WHAT? YOU SCHEMING LITTLE BITCH, WHAT DID YOU DO?" 0021 demanded, chasing 0017 around with the box of DOOM!.

"Do you kiss your mom with that mouth? I bet your dad's blind and your mom…" 0050 started. 0021 stopped right as she was about to swing the blow of God. She dropped her hammer and walked quietly from the room. 0050 frowned. "I wonder if I was right about that?"

"If she gets that worked up about it, I'll bet you that you were right." 0042 finished. "I'm not going after her. She's climbed the ladder to get up, so I would chase her down sooner than later."

009 rose and left to find 0021. She wasn't very hard to find; her long shadow stretched from where she stood on the highest place on the Dolphin to the other end. It was a bright and sunny day, with clouds drifting along every so often. There was a small breeze blowing and ruffling 0021's hair as it blew by.

"You're out here for some reason," 0021 said, not shifting her focus from the passing clouds. "What is it?"

"I'm out here to ask if you'll come back inside," 009 asked. 0021 turned and smiled sadly at him.

"0050 reminded me of what I'm missing," 0021 replied sadly, sitting herself down. "My dad has bad eyesight, my mom just finished treatment for her cancer and my sisters have needed help with all their projects and homework. Hearing it…brings me back to reality."

009 sighed. Girls were so complex! "Why don't you just come back down…?"

0021 slid down to stand in front of 009. She grabbed his hands and laced his fingers between her own. 0021 turned them to face the sun.

"Look…009. It's pretty, it's fiery, and it's my ruler. I'm a Leo rising and falling. I protect my loved ones and children naturally. Please, just let me return home. I can help you from there." 0021 said. Her eyes were sparkling in the light. "This isn't my place."

009 lifted his elbow to shield his eyes against the sunlight. "Are girl's lives always this complicated?"

0021 smiled a little and released his hands. "I doubt it. But…maybe this will become my place. Not any time soon, but maybe after a while. I'll look at how it's goin' back home then come back down, 'kay?"

009 saw the tears glistening in her eyes. "Okay, 0021. See you soon."

As 009 descended, 0015 took his place. 0021 was now truly crying.

"What are you crying about, over there?" 0015 demanded.

"About nothing. I have something stuck in my God damn eyes." 0021 replied. 0015 walked around and found 0021 hurriedly wiping her tears off her cheeks.

"Listen…0021. We can hear you crying through the metal. If it bugs you _that_ much, why don't you ask Doctor Gilmore if he can do something?" 0015 said to 0021.

"Do you miss your family?" 0021 asked.

0015 snorted. "They don't miss me. They're away too much to even notice I'm gone."

0021 laughed. "You're so short!"

0015 shrugged. 0021 was a whopping five inches taller than she was, even though they shared many characteristics. They both had the same blue-green eyes and the same light brown hair. 0015's hair was cut to her chin, but 0021's was layered all the way down to her shoulders.

"007's doing a Shakespearean drama down there by himself, I'm sure you'd love to watch him," 0015 noted. 0021 laughed more and disappeared back down the ladder.

"Thank you, 0015," 0021 said, eliminating the traces of tears.

"Thank 009."

&-&-&-

"What could be better than my performances?" 007 asked. 0021 had a set of blue half-sphere headphones on and was maxing out the volume.

"MY JAZZ! JAZZ IS WAY BETTER THAN YOUR OLD DRAMA!" 0021 bellowed.

"You could turn the volume down," 0014 commented. "That might, _might_, make him shut up. Hey 003, were you right about those two ships?"

"I'm afraid I was, 0014." 003 replied. "Two ships are headed toward us from the northeast and will be here in about two hours, if I'm correct."

"That's my fault," 0021 confessed. "I'll head them off for you."

"Then take a few of us with you," 0015 said. "I want to really use my sword this time. I think 0017 would love to use her hammer if she got the chance."

"No, it's my problem, and I'll deal with it," 0021 replied harshly. The Keyblade appeared in her hands. "003, can you see who's on board the ship?"

"I'll have to get closer to see," 003 answered. 0021 walked off to the control room.

"Northeast. Step on it." 0021 commanded to 008 and 004.

"I. Am. Not. Fucking. 008." 0043 snapped and transformed. "Why are we going northeast, pray tell, 0021? What is so interesting up there that we need to move?"

"The bad ones," 0021 responded. "If you don't want to drive, I will."

"No, that's fine. I'll stay. 004, why don't you leave?" 0043 said. 004 left the controls and 0021 sat down in his place. "Shall we submerge, go airborne, or stay like this, your majesty?"

0021 shuddered at the prospect of flying. "Stay like this."

0043 guided the warship into a curve and they set out to the northeast. 004 was watching from the doorway. They two seemed to get along just fine when no one was around with them.

"Who's killing who?" 0014 asked. She stood next to 004 and smiled when he jumped a little. "Or are they fine with one another?"

"They haven't done anything violent," 004 answered.

"How very interesting," 0014 said. "It would seem impossible, but it's not. I wonder if they knew each other from before?…"

"I never knew her and she never knew me," 0043 snapped. "Why are you still here? Isn't there something else you can do?"

"It's a party and no one invited me," 0015 said. "Well, whatever. I'll watch the radar for anything odd."

"I don't think there's any need any more," 0021 said. "They came to meet us."

Sure enough, there was a girl standing on a ship similar to the Dolphin about ten yards away. Her long, dark brown hair was flying behind her in the wind.

The clouds suddenly grew more and became gray. The wind picked up. A boy climbed out of the ship to stand next to the girl. 0021 urged the Dolphin onward toward them.

When they were close enough, they could see that a metal piece was covering the left side of the girl's head, including her eye. Over her eye, there was blue glass. From her ears hung on thin silver chains two black die each, and each face with a number of dots had a different color. Only the ones were white on all four cubes. She wore huge black headphones and a black speaker reached down to her mouth. The boy had one die hanging from his right ear, with all white numbers. The two both wore black jeans, black t-shirts, black biker gloves, and black shoes. The girl also wore a cabby cap and a scarf. Both had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes.

"Oh, no way…" 0014 muttered. "0043, am I nuts, or are those two Josephine and Pierre?"

"It's actually Marco." 0043 corrected her. "Can we blame you for the weather?"

"Not right now," 0021 said, standing and smashing the window outward. 0043 stood and climbed up so she was standing at the same eye level as Josephine. Quickly, she transformed into a copy of 0021 and helped 0021 up.

"I see you found us," Marco said. His voice was lower than you'd expect it to be. "It is a pleasure to see how well your abilities matured. 0043, for example, only has to think of what she wants to become. Before she had to envision it first."

"We would like to make a pact with you," Josephine said. "Even if we must use aggressive negotiation methods. Marco, have Andrew and Pierre ready to fire missiles if they get out of control. Also have the gases ready, if need be. Now, first, second, and third generation cyborgs, I will address you. We will not harm your planet if you agree to return calmly."

"What the fuck?" 0015 demanded. Her sword was out and she was making figure eights with it, picking up speed with each curve. Josephine shook her head and smiled a wicked smile, then pressed a button on her left temple and the metal shrunk away.

"You don't see my picture." Josephine replied calmly. "Andrew, Marco, Pierre and I have been out since we captured you fools setting up bombs around this planet. There are four nuclear bombs, seven atomic bombs, and twelve bio-bombs. Black Ghost has no fear of these weapons being set off, since they have already set up bases in outer space. Pierre and Andrew down there have the control to set them off. Are you ready to return, or shall we obliterate everything in a matter of seconds?"

(If any of you can hear me, say aye,) 0021 said. She had only used this method of communication with 0043 and 0017 when she had first woken up in the lab.

(Aye,) Sixteen voices responded in unison. 0021 grinned happily.

(Then follow my lead. 0043, you should be able to dupe them pretty easily.) 0021 said, taking charge. 0043 entered acceleration mode and 0021 was soon to follow after.

"GET THEM!" Josephine roared, pulling out a silver gun and firing. "Pierre, shoot the others on Andrew's mark!"

Either 0021 or 0043 slowed and fired at the two boys inside the ship Josephine and Marco were standing on.

"The one with the sword is 0021, get her!" Marco bellowed. 0014 screeched in anguish.

The clouds were split in pieces by lightning and fell with the boom of thunder. The pieces fell as ice and needles of water and stung when they hit. Wind raced along, whipping the clouds about and threatened to pull humans and cyborgs off their feet and carry them within its billows. Water churned and sloshed up to lick the tops of the warships, and splashed up to splash the heads of many people. Missiles suddenly cut through the sheet of wind and headed toward the warship that the humans stood upon.

0034 and 004 had their legs unhinged and were preparing to fire another missile, and 0017 had her hammer out and prepared to do the same. 0014 was standing with her fists clenched up to her chest and legs spread apart so she could weather an attack. 0043 changed again to her true form and 0021 knocked Marco out cold with her sword. 0016 aimed some of her ice at Josephine.

And Josephine avoided it. She laughed and fired her gun at the pissed off 0016, who also avoided the shot.

"You fools! Do you not remember that my brothers helped see to your very creation? I can predict your every move!" Josephine crowed. "But Pierre was the one who wanted to come. We'll be leaving now, but the bombs are set to go off within the next twenty-four hours. Your first hint to find the first atomic bomb is where the messiest place on Earth is…wait a second, the God damn authoress switched it!"

Josephine pressed the button again and her headgear sprang back over her face. "Oh yes…the first bomb is where fog rolls in and out, and you can almost set your watch to it."

0021 clapped her hands. "Off with you. Now."

And just like that, they vanished.

"Well, _that_ was totally anticlimactic." 0014 said. The storm began to quiet down. "Does anyone have any clue as to where fog rolls in and out?"

0021 smiled. "I think I have a pretty good idea as to where you want to go. The only place I know like that is San Francisco, since I live practically twenty minutes away from it."

"Aren't we sort of wasting our twenty-four hours?" 0015 asked. "Well, we could just leave the planet and…"

"That's a nice plan, I could die in the process." 0043 said. She relaxed back in her chair and smiled a wicked smile.

"I say it's dirt cheap to do that," 0021 snapped. She seated herself at the controls. "As much as I hate flying, I'll pilot us if I can."

"Hey then, move over," 0050 said. 0021 stood up. "They were teaching me to pilot this thing when they had just finished it…"

Her hands moved over the controls. "0021, fix the windshield. 0016, you co-pilot."

"I remember Black Ghost explaining to 0021 how she could have any power she wanted. Why are we going to waste time flying when she could teleport us to San Francisco?" 0017 asked. "0021, why don't you fix that then get us there?"

0021 sat down and leaned her head on her palms. "You're asking me to do a lot. Every single person on board has to be willing to go along with this, or I'll fail and we'll all die. 0043, that does _not _mean you should object. If I have to, I'll get in your head and make you go along."

"Fine, I won't," 0043 sighed. 0021 smiled and the windshield glued itself together. "Oh. I should mention to you what you're dealing with. Josephine came up with a tiny, tiny bomb that is about as big as your palm and is capable of wiping out an entire nation. Her brothers created the newest in nuclear technology – a nuclear bomb that can be concealed as anything they wish it to be and can wipe out a continent."

"How do you know this stuff?" 0034 asked. "I was there for nine years and I never even knew about Scarl or any of his four lunatic kids!"

"You must remember," 0043 said, "My family was so close with Black Ghost, I knew Josephine as I grew up and was forced to admire her along with my own siblings. I have such a _wonderful, caring_ family, don't I?"

"009…should we wear normal clothes when we go into the city?" 0021 asked. She had a sphere of blue light raging in between her palms, which were stretched as far away from her body as possible. "I don't care about your answer."

The light spilled from her palms and began to engulf the various cyborgs. 0042 laughed as it tickled her neck. Finally, the light began to climb the walls, and lastly, it took 0021's body in.

There was a flash of white light, and then there was a cityscape out the window. And that wasn't the only thing that had changed.

"Holy shit, I'm wearing my chains again!" 0042 exclaimed happily. The headband was gone from her hair, and it was back down in its ponytail. Her black clothes had also returned.

"Isn't this lovely," 0043 said. "We get to see each other in normal clothes."

0021 smiled weakly. "My fault. 001 and 003 found where they hid the bomb."

"Where? I'll go get it!" 002 volunteered.

0021 cocked an eyebrow. "It's in the Marina District."

"Where is that?" 0014 asked.

"Well, let's think," 0021 said in mock wonder. "_Mar _means _sea_, so the _Mar_ina District must be _where_?"

"Tee hee, 0021." 0014 remarked coldly. "Split into groups of two and search around. I'm with 002."

"009 is mine!" 0021 said before 003 could open her mouth.

So everyone got a partner that they more or less liked. Well, for 0014, 0016, 0017, and 0021, they were piss-ass pleased. The others…well, most were okay.

"This is different than I thought it would be," 0042 said, cruising along the coastline. "So far nothing."

She had gotten partnered with 007. He poked his head out of the sand as a crab and shook his head. "Nothing down there, either."

"Do you really think that Josephine would have taken the time to bury it?" 0043 said skeptically in their ears, even though she was a good distance away. "0021 was just telling us to get off the coast because it isn't there."

"Come on, crabby," 0042 said, picking up 007. "We're going jumping."

"J-j-j-j-umping?" 007 asked. 0042 grinned with all her teeth again.

"Yes, jumping."

&-&-&-

"0017, did you find it?" 004 asked. 0017 turned around.

"If it's glass, has two steel caps, and a silver capsule inside, I think I did." 0017 replied, stooping and picking the named object up. She showed it to 004.

"Very good!" Josephine called from up on a ladder. "You next hint to the first bio-bomb is the capital of the greenest country in Europe!"

She vanished into thin air.

"We found it!" 0017 said. In a flash, 009 and 0021 were standing next to her.

"Okay, now we just have to get everyone else." 009 said. 0021 folded her arms.

"And it's always the girl from California," 0021 muttered, then all the others appeared.

"Wonderful. 0017, if you drop that, an atomic explosion will occur," 0043 said. "0021, get us back to the Dolphin."

"Why don't you ever want to help?" 0021 whined, and they stood in the Dolphin. "You may fly to wherever we're headed. I've used _way_ too much energy to teleport us for a third time."

"Then I guess I'll have to," 0050 said. They were flung backwards, then forwards like they were in a huge slingshot. "Where to?"

"Capital of the greenest country in Europe," 0017 answered.

"Dublin, Ireland." 0021 said.

"Let's go then, shall we?" 0050 asked. The slingshot effect intensified and they were flung out over a view of….

"Sheep. You're kidding me." 0034 said, sweatdropping. "They're gonna hide a bomb with _sheep_?"

"We're not in Dublin, you moron," 0043 said. "We're out in the Ring of Kelly."

"And how the hell do you know that?" 0034 asked.

"I have a book filled with postcards," 0043 answered simply. 0034 steamed quietly. 0043 silently laughed at her, evidently amused by the whole matter.

0021 was holding the box of DOOM! again, and she seemed happy about it. Her eyes were glistening blue-green, ready to pop from her skull.

"I have an idea," 0017 said. "Why don't we send two people out and guide them from up here? That way I can clean this dump."

"Aren't you just all sugar and spice," 002 growled. It merited him a whack from her hammer.

"For that, you're going out. We'll update you on where it is when we get the chance. 0014, since you're his partner, you get to split up and search." 0017 said happily. 002 groaned and got slapped by 0014.

"Just shut up. I can always make you miserable." 0014 snapped.

"MAN UP, BOY!" 0021 sang happily, standing on the ceiling and laughing her ass off at 002. 0043 cocked an eyebrow. "Was that out of place?"

"Yes." 0043 replied.

"Sorry…" 0021 said, floating down off the ceiling. "I tend to do that quite a bit."

"You seem like a person to," 0043 replied blankly. "And someone who is easily impressed."

0021 waved her hand and smiled. "I really hope you've got someone _good_ who can impress me. I take a lot of work. And you need to do something _awesome. _Not just like scoring great. What I mean is like, actually being able to freely write when there isn't an outline for you. So, 0043, how simple is that?"

0043 picked her tophat off her head. "What I say: nice. But my guy would have tried to do something insane. Like jump off a bridge in lover's suicide. Or rather, I don't want anyone."

"Can we ask WHY you're talking about GUYS?" 0050 interrupted. "Oh crap, that rhymed."

&-&-&-

"Remind me when we get back to duct tape 0021's mouth shut when we get back," 002 hissed.

"STFU, BASTARD!" 0021 sang merrily into 002 and 0014's ears. 002 groaned.

"Relax. Next time we'll send her out on this crazy wild goose chase." 0014 hissed right back. The weather was clouding over rapidly.

002 punched a trash can. "This is hopeless! 0021, you hear me, damn you! Get your ass down here and help us!"

"You only needed to ask, bastard," 0021 said happily. "Just go up that ladder to the top of the building and you'll find something waiting.

0015 laughed, sitting back on the Dolphin. "They spent three hours walking around shops together! Isn't it so _adorable_?"

"If you were to ask me," 0016 said, "He's trying to forget me. I'm the one thing he couldn't escape because he was the one who turned me into such…."

0034 sighed deeply and continued to braid 0050's hair. "If you were to ask me, he looks pretty fine. Maybe I should do a steak-out tonight and claim my territory." 0034 said.

"We've got it," 0014 said. "And keep your paws off!"

0021 teleported the two back with the bomb. Attached to the bomb was a short message:

_Like we created you, this is hidden where the waves ate a continent and they're saving it to be born anew._

"I know that Andrew was into mythology and shit, but this is going a wee bit too far," 0043 noted. "He harps a lot on ancient cities and all that bull."

"Like Egypt? And the Maya Civilization? And Machiu Pichu?" 0021 asked.

"He harped on Atlantis…ATLANTIS!" 0043 suddenly realized. 0021 slapped herself.

"The city that sunk beneath the waves!" 0021 exclaimed. 0015 and 0017 looked like anime characters that had just eaten crappy main shojou's cooking.

"I think we're some bizarre work of an authoress's imagination," 0017 said.

"You aren't alone." 0015 answered.

"You're _kidding _me," 0021 said, aghast. "You mean the bastard knew both of them?"

"At this point in time, we should be moving on," 0043 said. "0042, you and 007 will go and search underwater for the bomb. And 0021, would you glue your fucking mouth shut while they're gone?"

The named cyborg was currently making stars with duct tape on the walls. 0043 muttered something and buried her head in her hands. "This is going to be hopeless if we don't get her to teleport us,"

"We're there, we're there…" 0021 sang on and on. 0043 ripped a piece of duct tape off the wall and stuck it across 0021's mouth. Ripping down another side of the huge star, she tied 0021's hands together so she couldn't tear the duct tape off. 0021 shrugged.

Her bindings burned off. "I'm not that stupid. If I can be taking courses that seniors normally take, then I must be doing something right. 0050, aim this time for the gulf in-between Eurasia and Africa. Underwater, if you don't mind."

0050 smiled. "You're weird, but I can get used to a person like you around. You're a crack up to be around – I don't think I'll get bored very easily by you. Do you get bored easily?"

0021 was coloring the duct tape.

&-&-&-&-

Sorry for the short update. I got a crappy grade in the last trimester, and I've been really upset about it. For a while, this fic may be slowly updating as I finish a few short stories like To Nowhere and Getting the Picture. Forgive me, since no one else will. I continue to love you all! All who figure out who the quartet are will get a plushie of them!


	4. Allegro

Wheeness, and welcome to chapter four! After this chapter, we will have pretty much met all the major characters for this story. In this chapter, we meet three other cyborgs from Generation Three: 0037, 0049 and 0061! They were all made by my friends ((Julia, Joe and Rose, respectively)), and I don't own them…

Okay, and I'm REALLY sorry about not updating for like…forever. I had this crazy new idea after playing Kingdom Hearts and started writing like a mad person. So now I have an original story called Shattered Rainbow going. But I don't think that unless you go to school with me that you'll ever see it. If I get enough requests…yeah, I might post it on Yes, but it is a very fun story…very fun…seven islands, broken apart, barrier between darkness and light broken, all hopes fading into black…SO SEE IF YOU CAN GET ME TO POST IT!

And no, Ra, 0015 was not raped…or at least I hope not… O.o Oh, and in this chapter, we look a lot at what Scarl's four kiddies are up to. Next chapter is a rollicking chapter for all of you who wanted a pairing. So just deal, and we'll watch the idiots have their turn this time.

Well then, it's off to….!

&-&-&-

D.S. al Coda

Chapter Four: Allegro

&-&-&-&-

"Damn, they got all the bombs," Andrew muttered, watching from a hidden camera that was placed inside the Dolphin. "But will they be ready for our next little surprise?"

Two girls and a guy walked in from a door. One of the girls was very tall with purple streaks in her short brown hair, and the other was a little shorter with light brown hair and a lone band of light blue dye running down the left side of her long hair. The boy was as tall as the shorter girl was, and his hair was dark brown (almost black) with red streaks. The trio wore the blue and gold uniform.

"I trust you know what we want you to do?" Andrew asked. The boy smiled.

"If we didn't, would we be here?" The boy asked. The shorter girl laughed.

"So which is it that we're going with," The shorter girl asked, "Alpha or Omega? 0049 makes it sound more like Omega, but whatever is fine with me."

"Just go with Omega," The tall girl said. "0037, please make sure you get there in one piece this time. 0049, be sure to actually attack this time."

&-&-&-

"I'm watching you, bastard…" A voice that sounded suspiciously like 0021 said. 002 closed his eyes and sighed deeply. 0021 had been floating around ever since they had finished collecting the bombs. She'd also taken up stalking 009 around and trapping people in the bathroom.

Of course, not everyone was acting like 0021. 0043 was sulking around, wondering what kind of suicide to use. 0015 was practicing her sword techniques and other moves, while 0017 was…

"Why the hell are you _cleaning_?" 002 demanded, nearly tearing his hair out. 0017 had a vacuum cleaner in one hand and a feather duster in the other. She stopped.

"Because it's a wreck, and I can't live like this." 0017 responded. 0021 kicked 002 from her position in mid-air.

"Hey you three!" 004 called. 0021 floated to the control room.

"Well…WHAT THE HELL? WHO KILLED THAT DUDE?" 0021 shrieked.

There was a guy, floating on the surface of the water. The surprise did not end there, oh no it didn't. He was wearing a gold scarf and a blue shirt and pants. He suddenly jerked his head up.

"WOOOW! HE'S NOT DEAD!" 0021 cried. 002 shook his head. 0042 swam up from underwater to look at the alleged 'dead guy'.

(0021, is this one of your friends?) 0042 demanded, leaping up from the water to stand on the Dolphin.

(No. I've never seen him before in my life.) 0021 replied. (Taste the rainbow: eat fucking crayons!)

"0021, where the hell did _that _come from?" 002 asked. 0021 laughed.

"No clue. Maybe it's because you're a rainbow and you're jealous!" 0021 exclaimed.

The guy jumped up next to 0042. He was about her height, and his dark hair was streaked with red. Except for being slightly damp, he perfectly modeled a cyborg. 0042 frowned a little.

"Coming through!" 0021 exclaimed, crushing the window outward to stand with 0042 and the new guy. "Who are you?"

"My name is 0049," The guy said. "And I was sent to kill you!"

"Omega is going as planned," The taller girl said from a location near the Dolphin. "0037, be prepared to move in. 0049, accelerate!"

"I HEARD THAT!" 0017 exclaimed, jumping out of the Dolphin and pulling the tall girl up. "GET THE THIRD ONE!"

0015 pushed 0021 out of the way and entered acceleration mode. She wasn't the only one at that moment. There was a girl about 0049's height with long light brown hair, and a single streak of blue running down the left side. The girl laughed. She left acceleration mode and 0015 followed.

The three new cyborgs were now pooled on the front of the Dolphin, and were being held there by a fiery forcefield that 0016 had set up.

"Switch to Alpha, 0061," 0049 mumbled. The taller girl instantly (and evidently) clicked her acceleration switch and 0021 followed. She had an odd suspicion of who it was.

"Alpha, Omega…I know what this is!" 0034 exclaimed. "Those are BATTLE PLANS! 0021! GO FASTER!"

0021 couldn't hear. She grabbed 0061 on the shoulder and spun her around. 0021's round and happy blue-green eyes turned to absolute terror when she looked into the almond eyes she'd known since sixth grade.

"ROSE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING, ATTACKING?" 0021 screamed. 0061 smiled.

"I don't know you. I only know that I have to kill you." 0061 said. 0021 pressed her acceleration switch further to enter mach seven.

0049 and the other girl (who was most likely 0037) were still trapped. They knew how this was going to wind up. So they just sat in the forcefield to kill time.

"What do you suppose their powers are?" 0016 asked. "They're evidently part of our generation."

"Maybe they planted nukes in them," 0043 said, leaning against the forcefield. "You should also know that 0021 is pushing mach nine and racing 0061. Wait a second…"

0043 entered acceleration mode. She exited quickly.

"0021 isn't moving at mach nine any longer…" 0043 said. "She's going a strong mach eleven…

twelve…

thirteen…

fourteen…" 0043 said, her eyes widening. "SHE'LL KILL HERSELF!"

And 0043 drove herself as 0021 into mach nine, which was as fast as she was built to go.

0061 left acceleration mode and frowned. "Oh fuck, I can't go that fast. This is absolutely pointless. Plan Delta."

0037 and 0049 broke out with no problem. 0037 smiled and looped around to hide behind 004, while 0049 hid behind 0017. 0061 re-entered acceleration mode and found 0043 standing there.

"Well, what are you waiting for? The sakura trees to bloom?" 0043 asked. A gun came out from under her skirt and she fired at 0061 and began to run. 0061 fell for it and ran after. 0043 jumped out of acceleration mode. "0021 hasn't slowed down yet. And 004, look behind you."

004 turned to see 0037 smiling. 0037 held out her hands and a beam of white light shot from them. 004 ducked just in time for the blast to hit 0049.

"DAMN!" 0049 shouted, and thinking that it was 0017 who had done it, punched her. 0017 spun around and whacked him over the head with her hammer, then swatted him where it hurts with it. 0037 tossed her hair back and vanished.

"That isn't acceleration mode," 0050 said. "Quick, 0015, do something!"

"I'll do something," 0015 snarled. "HIKARU NO RYU!"

0037 shielded her eyes as a sword came clashing down to meet her chest. She fell hard and struggled to pull herself back up. She did, and was soon greeted by something completely random.

"Goodbye!" 0021 roared, shooting pistols in both hands. One of the bullets found its way to 0061 and sent her off, then did the same for the other two. After they were gone, 0021 sighed and sank back down into the Dolphin.

"Well, no use standing out here," 0014 said, "Let's go back in and do something interesting aside from kicking ass."

&-&-&-

"They're not going to be down for that long, are they?" Josephine demanded of Marco.

"Maybe," Marco snapped in response. "It's hard to say what happened. Either something triggered…" He paused, and grinned evilly. "Or they've finally matured."

Josephine surveyed the cyborgs. "Get Pierre, and I'll take Andrew with me to the meeting in an hour. Make sure that they're up and running or I'll have another punishment laid down like last time. Are we clear?"

"Of course," Marco replied. Josephine nodded curtly and exited. Under his breath, Marco uttered, "Fucking bitch."

&-&-&-

"She hasn't been out yet!" 006 complained. "And all this food is going to waste! If she's not out of there in ten minutes I'll give it to 002 instead!"

0021 was locked away in her room and would not answer when 0050 called for her to come out. 009 pushed himself away from the table and stood up to get her.

"I never said…" 006 began. 009 pushed the little Chinese man out of the way.

"006, just let it go," 0034 said, throwing her fork at him with precise aim. "It's pointless to argue with anyone here. They have their own set of rules and play by them. So why bother to try and change it?"

0017 picked up the force with her magnetism. "She's right, you know. And who cares, anyway? All we've ever had is Chinese crap."

009 walked into 0021 and 0017's room. 0021 was lying, seemingly asleep, on the bed on the left side of the small room. She was still in her jeans and shirt. 009 smiled and noticed that something was somewhat wrong. 0021's chest had remained still the entire time. He lifted her wrist up to check for a pulse.

But how was it _possible_? She looked exactly like she was asleep. He turned and saw 0043 leaning against the door.

"She turned herself off," 0043 said. "No, she's not dead. Aren't you lucky."

009 stood puzzled, still holding onto 0021. "Turned off? How do you…"

"Generation 3…all of us…were installed with on/off switches. They can be remotely accessed by the troupe of freaks or we can use them for ourselves. But we never knew where they were." 0043 replied. "You can carry her. I _really_ don't feel like it."

"Tell 006 to give everything to 002," 009 said. 0043 glared back.

"Somehow, I get this odd feeling that because of her little stunt, we aren't going to have dinner tonight." 0043 said. Both went their separate ways.

"IT WAS THE EGG! EGG! HOW DOES A CHICKEN FALL FROM THE SKY, TELL ME THAT!" 0034 screamed.

"Whatever, it was the fucking egg." 0043 said coolly, drawing silence and attention. "As all of you know…we're equipped with power switches. No, 002, I did not say _you_. 0021 found hers somehow and turned herself off…so, does anyone know where hers is?"

0017 set off toward the infirmary, while everyone else sat in puzzlement. 0043 rolled her eyes.

"Okay. Whatever. Fine with me." 0043 said, breezing out.

&-&-&-

"I'm taking my best educated guess," 0017 said in a quiet voice. "But try the arch of her right foot."

009 pulled off 0021's sock and pressed where the arch was at its widest. He pressed harder, and there was no result. 0017 sighed.

"Move back," 0017 ordered. 009 stepped away. An electrical aura shot up around 0021, except for one location…right under her breasts, where her chest was becoming her stomach.

"Well, Prince Charming," 0017 giggled. "You wanna do it?"

He let a punch of enormous velocity fly down to where the switch was supposed to be.

"I think you hit it hard enough," 0017 remarked. 0021's eyes flashed open and she took a huge gulp of air and then several more of the same magnitude before taking short, shallow breaths.

"What in hell's name was that all about?" 0017 demanded.

(I was scared.) 0021 replied. She looked at them and sat herself up.

"But what were you scared _of_?" 009 asked.

(Myself.) 0021 said. 0017 and 009 wore identical confused looks. (0017, could you leave?)

"Sure," 0017 said, still confused.

(I'm sorry. I was just…_terrified_.) 0021 said after following 0017 ((with her eyes)) out the door. (I thought that everything had stopped, that I was the only thing alive any longer…)

"How fast were you going?" 009 asked, taking a seat. "0043 said that you were going faster than mach nine."

(Of course! I was going at mach thirty, which is an undiscovered speed. With the normal accelerator, at least everything moves. When you get to going that fast…nothing moves, pretty much. Maybe if I'd have stayed longer, I would have found it to be different, but I was getting faster every three seconds.) 0021 said, curling herself up into a ball.

"Then what are you afraid of? It's over, isn't it?" 009 asked.

(You don't understand,) 0021 said, a pleading look in her eyes. (I keep feeling like it's going to happen all over again. Every time I move, every time I breathe, every time I do anything…it feels like I'm going to hit the accelerator again and get that feeling. Even if I sleep, I think I'm going to press it and wake up in my own world.)

"But you virtually came out fine, right?" 009 asked. 0021 shook her head.

(I have cuts all over. My clothes are torn. What you're seeing right now is false.) 0021 answered, sighing. (I'll show you, if you want.)

009 opened his mouth to protest, but never really got the chance. 0021's skin was shedding like a dog's coat being shaved off. There were long cuts running up and down her arms and several black and blue marks surrounding them. Her shirt was in tatters, and her jeans weren't doing much better. The absolute worst was her face. A jagged cut split her nose in two, several shallow cuts raced across her round cheeks, the earrings on her ears were dangling broken, and her forehead was marked with a horrible, swollen black and blue mark.

"What did I tell you?" 0021 asked. "It's worse than horrible."

009 didn't want to admit to her that she looked like she had lived in a cardboard box for her entire life. Instead, he said, "Why don't you just heal yourself?"

"You can ask 0050 if she'll do it," 0021 said in response.

"You're talking again," 009 noted with a shy smile. 0021 returned the look.

"I noticed." 0021 said. She patted his hair.

&-&-&-

"What a bunch of morons," Josephine complained, closing the door gently and walking to the elevator with Andrew. "What did you think of it, Andrew?"

Andrew had remained fairly silent. His older sister was such an executive at selling such products. She wore a full black skirt, a black short-sleeved blouse, a black sweater, a pair of high-heeled black dress shoes, her dice earrings, and her hair was back in a long braid and tied with a black hairtie. She carried a black suitcase and a sleek black flip phone.

Andrew pressed the basement floor button and the doors to the elevator closed. It was his first meeting with all the company members, and quite frankly, he never wanted to return to one. He rubbed his eyes wearily as Josephine dialed Marco's cell phone.

"Are they done?" Josephine demanded.

"Nearly, you bitch." Marco spat from the other end.

"Listen, jackass, I'll deal with you later. I have another meeting tonight with the other cyborg dealers. Andrew will be back in less than three hours to help you. Maybe, by the end of tonight, we'll be able to have the Pierrot family…all of them, including Miss Eleanor, under our thumbs and in our labs again. Also, put Pierre on the job of finding Eleanor while you're at it." Josephine snapped in response. Andrew knew what it was like to receive directions from Josephine. She was next on the line to be next to Black Ghost.

Josephine hung up. "Andrew, you'll be heading back to help the jackass and Pierre. I'll see the three of you tomorrow."

The elevator reached the basement. Josephine climbed into a small car with a driver to the right, and Andrew walked to the one on the left.

&-&-&-

"Why are you cleaning again?" 002 demanded of 0017. She swatted him hard with the vacuum cleaner.

"Because with the nineteen of us living in this place, it's a mess," 0017 replied, working on. "And who else is going to?"

"Put a cork in it, 002," 0014 said, jumping onto his back. "Let her clean. If it makes her happy, then it's much less of a chance that she'll bug us."

0014 stroked his hair and he gave in. 0017 continued vacuuming and left 0014 and 002 to snuggle on the couch. 0016 entered and a look of disgust was instantly plastered across her face. 002 also looked pretty scared as she fired her hands up.

"Come off of it, 0016," 0017 said, mobilizing her Windex. "Argue after I've cleaned."

0016 held up every finger but her pinkies and thumbs, held her hands apart, and kept her fingers together. "Read between the lines."

0034 walked in and dropped the pile of clothes she had been carrying. 0014 and 002 were in a deep flush on the couch, and 0016 was looking thoroughly pissed off.

"Okay, I know we're having a great time sending warm fuzzies to one another, but can we please stop?" 0043 asked. 0017 laughed at the scene. 0014 stood up and left.

"What's going on in here?" 004 asked. 0014 shoved her way past him.

&-&-&-

"There they are," Pierre said. "I'll call Josephine and tell her."

"Okay, and once you've finished, you can help me finish with 0037. I've updated her to fight off their attacks better." Marco responded. "Once Andrew arrives, we need his help to drill into 0061."

Pierre blinked. "0049's memory seems to have recorded Eleanor talking about 0021 moving faster than mach nine. Is that possible?"

Marco rubbed his chin. "It seems that she managed to access the highest level of her ability – summoning technology from the future. However, this has its toll on 0021 – she'll need a long time to recuperate from using so much energy."

Pierre ran his fingers over the die hanging from his right ear. "Andrew did most of the work on 0021, but we have all the blueprints in the mainframe. Try searching there and see if you can find anything."

Pierre typed in his password to the entire Black Ghost Organization database. This was where he had spent most of his time as a child. He had woven in and out of the security systems to find nuclear sales records. And now he opened up the 'Cybernetics Project' icon.

He typed in his password once more and looked into the face of 001. He scrolled down and found 0021. He clicked on her blown-up image.

There were the blueprints of her entire system. Implanted in the central point of her body was her power button, and directly above it in her head was the chip that controlled her ability to summon. He tried clicking on it. Marco turned his attention to the screen.

"So, this is how…but wait…she can't have used anything from the future…Pierre, call Andrew right now. Our cyborgs are malfunctioning."

&-&-&-

Andrew's cell phone vibrated around in his pocket as he was driven to the small base. He flipped it open and saw Pierre's number.

"This is Andrew," Andrew said. "What would you like?"

"Listen: what did you do for 0021's…" Pierre began.

"Please don't tell me that it's broken…" Andrew moaned. "Because if it is, then she could destroy the others."

"It's too late for that."

"Oh, holy fuck. Okay, then. I'll set off immediately for their location."

"To _fix_ her and hand her right back over? Are you fucking nuts?"

"To make an offer she can't refuse."

"Oh. In that case…I've sent the coordinates to you. I'll see you later."

"Good bye."

Andrew hung up and promptly dialed Josephine.

"This is Josephine Scarl, how may I help you?" His sister's curt voice asked.

"It's Andrew. I don't need very much." Andrew said. He heard Josephine cough.

"Let me guess – I'm going to need to call this meeting off."

"No, not at all. I was just calling to tell you that we may have 0021 back soon."

"Ah, good. Then I shall enter my meeting now. Farewell." Josephine snapped, and hung up.

"Let's get moving, we need to catch them," Andrew said to his driver.

"Of course."

&-&-&-

Josephine brushed her black uniform off as she greeted members of the meeting at the door to the penthouse suite that the company rented for this sole purpose. It was all very familiar to her: the men wearing tuxedos, curtly nodding to her as they entered, and then the white lights and DVDs. She had known that her father wanted a son to carry out this job, but Josephine had proved herself worthy by discussing a trade at the age of six. Her father had enrolled her for high-powered classes with the professors, and she had taken them on.

She looked down the narrow hallway to make sure that no one was coming. She walked to the elevator and tapped a keycode into a hidden panel, then pushed open the door to the suite.

"Good evening, gentlemen. I'm sure you know why we've called this meeting." Josephine said, addressing about a hundred men. "We are here tonight to discuss the future of cyborgs."

"At our last meeting," A man with a thick Chinese accent said, "You said to us that you would bring samples of Black Ghost's work. I see nothing of the sort. Do you, gentlemen?"

Josephine was ready to sock the man. "I have just opened the meeting, Chee. But this evening you will see the technology our cyborgs possess – and we could possibly pass it on to your companies. Now, Chee, I could always dismiss of you early and send word to the head of Black Ghost telling him how you found us to be irresponsible. Would you like that?"

She knew that she had him locked down. Chee nodded his head, and the meeting went on.

&-&-&-

Andrew hopped out of the small submarine, and swam toward the Dolphin. The driver had said to call him when he was ready. Andrew had been planning for this to happen all along – he'd purposely left 0021's microchip unfinished. Tonight was the night he had waited his seventeen years for:

The night that he finally got to be free. The night where he joined the cyborgs in their rebellion.

He entered the Dolphin by means of one of the hatches. Andrew had read the blueprints a million times over to make sure that he had it right. As he jumped down, he heard a vacuum cleaner running. Was one of the cyborgs in to cleaning?

Andrew walked down toward the infirmary. This thing had looked a lot smaller on the blueprints! But he found the infirmary without many problems.

0021 was sitting up, wide awake, talking to 009. She saw Andrew enter, but didn't say anything to alert 009 of his presence. Andrew was grateful of this move. He stepped out of the shadows and spooked (what looked like) 0021's copy out.

"Shut up!" Andrew snapped. "I can help you, but you have to trust me."

"Exactly how do you expect us to trust you," 0043 said, changing from a stool into her usual form, "When you're Scarl's youngest son?"

"I'll tell you why, _Eleanor_," Andrew replied. "It's because I get tired of Josephine. I get sick of having to hear 'Nuclear sales this' and 'cyborgs that' all the time. 0021, do you trust me?"

"Yes, I do." 0021 said. "Andrew, you say you can help. How?"

0015 was unnerved by seeing 0021 act as a normal person.

"0021, how do you figure this exactly?" 0015 asked. "A couple of days ago this bastard tried to destroy us, today he sent three crazy cyborgs at us, and now you _trust_ him? Did going at mach thirty permanently damage your thought process?"

"This is the same guy that hid in the shadows at my place when his older siblings came over to discuss trades with my parents," 0043 said. "He thinks somewhat logically. So, Andrew, prove your intentions and tell us why you're here."

"When 0021 went at mach thirty," Andrew began, "She called upon technology from the future. I programmed it so she could, but neither of my brothers knew that. But you see, that's the problem. The chip that controls the ability…isn't complete. I can fix it right now, but only if you take my word that I won't try and send her to attack you."

0021 placed a bruised hand on Andrew's shoulder and turned him around. "You have my understanding. Does anyone else besides us know that you're here?"

Andrew blinked. "No, I don't think so."

"0015, would you go tell everyone else, then?" 0021 asked.

"Hell no. 009, go do it." 0015 ordered. 009 stood and left.

"We'll stay and observe," 0043 said. "I still don't fully trust this."

&-&-&-

The lights dimmed and a plasma screen was lowered from the ceiling. Josephine began to roll clips of the cyborgs undergoing training. There was not a single man in the room who wasn't impressed by the acceleration and weight show. But Josephine had seen it all before, and in real life to boot.

"Our prices for this technology are moderate. The cyborgs will answer to your every whim, and will destroy at your command. One cyborg will cost your company a shallow installment of one million, then five hundred grand every month for a year after that." Josephine said. She saw men writing out the framework. "So far, we have created twenty-six of these cyborgs – but four have been destroyed. Each cyborg possesses their own special ability, so you will take a gamble when you decide which cyborg you want."

She waited for questions; there were none. "I declare this meeting closed. I look forward to seeing each of you in a month's time."

_Crap…I need an Advil or something._

&-&-&-

0021 was sound asleep, while 0043 and 0015 were watching closely as Andrew finished the microchip. Andrew had the chip hooked up to the computer and was fixing the internal circuiting systems. Mostly everyone else was asleep, but a few had stayed awake to see the outcome.

Andrew's cell phone rang. 0043 answered it.

"Pierre, I haven't spoken with you in ages." 0043 said.

"Eleanor, how pleasant. What have you done to Andrew?"

"He's fixing 0021 right now. We're being held hostage."

"Very well. Tell him that I called and to call back once he's finished."

Pierre hung up at the other end.

"There. That should work perfectly." Andrew said, taking the wires of the microchip. He picked up a set of tweezers and carefully replaced it in 0021's head. "Thank you for taking the call, 0043. I don't want to talk to them."

He smiled, which completely took 0043 off her guard. His dark eyes smiled playfully, which none of them had ever considered possible.

"I'm staying."

&-&-&-&-

WOW! THAT WAS ONE HELLUVA CHAPTER! Andrew goes flip side? Josephine is selling the cyborgs? I'm going nuts!

No one cloud get it through their thick skull that the heavy metal quartet was comprised of Josephine, Marco, Pierre and Andrew. Gosh, friggin' idiots! How hard is that to figure out? Oh well…

WE'RE OPENING A CONTEST! Whoever can draw the best poster for D.S. al Coda will win their very own OC in To Nowhere. Ready for the rules?  
1. MUST HAVE D.S. al Coda and …the world is not enough. written somewhere on the poster.  
2. MUST have all the cyborgs, and Scarl's four children.  
3. Has to be colorful!  
4. Be creative! Draw the cyborgs wearing whatever you want them to – just be sure it's normal. Also, the four nutcases need their black on.  
5. DEADLINE is **May 20, 2005**! Send all entries to and I'll pick the winner from there! Anyone can enter!

So review or flame, and CRACK OUT YOUR PENCILS!


	5. Operation Boom and Dust

All of you New York girls will **KILL** me once you've read this chapter! Why? Oh, you'll see…

Yes, I did promise that one chapter will be called "Pimp My Dolphin." Originally, that was the name of this chapter. Then, I got wound up in a much more important part of the storyline. The start of this chapter is part of "Pimp My Dolphin" and in a few chapters, we will see the true insanity of it.

As always, I only own Marco, Josephine, Pierre and Andrew and partially 0021. Who owns 0019? Well…my onee-kun, Anzu. ((sob, sob)) Who owns 0018 and 0020?…I can't remember.

&-&-&-

D.S. al Coda

Chapter Five: Operation Boom and Dust

&-&-&-&-

"I have an idea!" 0021 exclaimed.

"Everyone, duck and cover!" 0043 said in mock horror. "Well, what is it?"

"For one day, everyone has to be either with people from the same state or people that they like! Of course, being from the same state comes before your love!" 0021 exclaimed.

"How interesting. Did everyone else hear that?" 0043 asked, looking up from her novel.

"New Yorkers over here!" 0017 sang happily. 0016, 0014, 0043, 0050 and 002 walked over to where 0017 was dusting. Her smile was wiped off as if by Windex when she saw 002.

Two forms walked to 009. 0021 and 003 both grabbed an arm an immediately started shouting insults. 009 hung his head in shame.

"What about you, 0034, 0015?" 004 asked. 0034 walked to 002 and posted herself there.

"Okay, 0015. Where are you from?" 0021 asked.

"Here, I'll just be with 004 if it makes you happy." 0015 snapped. 0017 growled.

"The game is on! The one girl who can eliminate her competition will have the guy as hers! 003, YOU'RE GOING DOWN!" 0021 crowed.

"I get this awful feeling," 0015 said. "Okay, whoever wants 004 can have him. I'm going back to playing Kingdom Hearts."

&-&-&-

ten minutes later…

"Master 002, what can I fetch for you?" 0014 asked. 0034 punched her, and hard.

"HANDS OFF, HE'S MINE!" 0034 shouted. 0042 stopped amidst of her chat with 007 to watch as 0034 and 0014 proceeded to bitch-slap one another.

"This is the best entertainment I've ever seen!" 0042 exclaimed happily and laughed more. 003 was trying to catch 0021, who had chained 009 to a vacuum cleaner and was flying around on it. "I don't think I could have lived with myself if I missed something like this! SOCK HIM HARD, 0017!"

Andrew walked in and was nearly knocked over by 0021 and her vacuum. "What the hell happened in here? Why is Eleanor…"

He was cut off as 0043 walked over and punched him in the gut. "Andrew, it would be very wise if you did not irritate me today. While you were asleep, your sister called."

Andrew's face paled visibly. "Oh crap…if any one of them finds out, I'm dead. They'll have a squadron out in no time."

"Relax, you idiot. I told her that you were asleep." 0043 said. "And that you were going to call her back once you had…"

"0021! LET ME DOWN!" 003 screamed. 0021 had set up a trap that 003 had walked into, and 003 was now hanging by her wrists from the ceiling. 0021 snickered and flew off to continue her glomp of 009.

"And could you also explain why all this is going on?" Andrew asked. 0043 shrugged.

"0021 had an idea. It'll hopefully be over tomorrow." 0043 said. 002 tried to come up behind her and ask her something, but just in time, she whirled around and pinned him to the wall. 0043 showed him the back of her palm before slapping him across the face and dropping him, and from there 0034 and 0014 rushed over to help him up.

0017 took off and grabbed 004. 0016 walked over to 008 and smiled.

"They can argue over that jerkwad for all I care," 0016 said. "He's a bastard."

"MINE MINE ALL FICKING MINE!" 0021 crowed gleefully. 009 sighed deeply and allowed himself to be chained once more to the vacuum.

&-&-&-

"This is going _lovely_," 0043 complained. 0034 and 0014 were both sporting bloodstained shirts and huge black and blue marks. 003 had successfully bitten her way out of the trap and was now trying to fend 0021 off.

Duct tape decorated the walls and had random things like "0034, GET AWAY FROM MY JET!" and "Duct tape is like the force: it has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together! Love 0021." written all over it. 0042 was currently floating upside-down to read the various cusses posted by 0034 and 0014 to one another and 003's notes to 009 and 0021.

"Man, I didn't know 003 was so violent," 0042 said in-between her giggles. "Do any of you have a Sharpie?"

She needn't have asked. There was an entire set hanging next to the duct tape. Just then, a fork went zooming by 0042's head and jabbed its way into 0050, who threw it back at 0017.

"God, I think _some _people are taking this too out of hand," 0043 said. 0015 nodded in her agreement. 0017 was growling and 0016 was freezing anyone who came near 008. 003 and 0021 were trapping one another whenever and wherever possible. In a brief run-by, 0021 scribbled a new message out onto the duct tape.

"Call the whole thing off, they're coming!" 0042 read. "0021, who's coming?"

"Ask Andrew!" 0021 shouted back. "I'm going off to get us somewhere safe!"

003 seemed to ignore the fact. "This is just another one of your silly tricks, isn't it?"

0021 stopped and sighed. "I'm not going to joke about this. They'll be here in less than ten minutes, and this time they brought the powered-up versions of 0037, 0049 and 0061. Of course, you can always have 009, but I'll take my life, thanks very much."

0034 stopped and followed 0021. 0042 zoomed off after them to the control room, leaving the rest of the puzzled bunch behind. 0015 shrugged, picked up her sword, and wandered off in the direction of their footsteps.

"I'll call Josephine right now," Andrew said, punching her number into his cell phone. It was silent all through the room; even the happy cries of 0014 and 003 were stopped as Andrew made the call that could change their lives.

"_You_ slimy little _bastard_," Josephine's sour voice sounded. "We're coming to destroy all of you once and for all! I don't care what you say now, you bastard! You fixed 0021 and joined their side! Well, aren't you the cunning one. If you look right now, you can see the product of your design coming your way."

Josephine hung up. Andrew sprinted for the control room.

"HANG ON TIGHT!" 0021 shouted, and seconds later, they were moving faster than any of them had traveled in the Dolphin before. 0021 and 0042 were piloting, and their faces reflected one another's concentration.

"This is fun!" 0037 said, poofing on. 0021 stopped the Dolphin, turned around, and punched 0037 with all her strength.

"Damn you," 0021 muttered. Andrew rushed over and picked 0037 up and wiped the blood off of her lip.

"What is going on in here?" 0043 asked. "Andrew, explain yourself. Now."

"For starters, I'm not Andrew." Andrew said, standing up. "You should have figured that out 0043. All the mythology references…"

"Oh, so I _was_ talking with Andrew a couple of nights ago. Well, _Pierre_, you could never really fight. So, why not settle the score for not letting me die by us killing you?" 0043 said, as if she understood completely.

0021 didn't care. She cracked her knuckles and socked…whoever it was…across the face, then whacked 0037 again.

"It was me that you were talking to last night on the phone," The guy said. "While all of you were asleep, 0037 came and kidnapped Andrew and I took his place. Andrew is…well, we'll save you time and effort by saying that Josephine got to him first."

While they went back and forth and unraveled what had been happening, 0042 escaped and exited the Dolphin.

_If I was an annoying bitch who wanted to destroy the world, where would I be? _0042 thought. _Found you._

&-&-&-

_Call me, dammit. I've been waiting for an hour._

Her piercing bright blue eyes sharpened in their discontent. She ran her fingers through the mahogany hair that reached down past her chest and placed it neatly over her right eye. Her skin was very lightly tanned (more like no tan), her nails painted red, and she wore a pair of dark flared jeans and a black spaghetti strap top.

_Oh, the hell with it. I'll call you if I have to._

She took from a black shoulder bag a cigarette, and from her back pocket a gun. She placed the cigarette in her mouth and pointed the gun upward. Taking the shot, the bullet passed right by the cigarette and lit it. As the bullet fell, the girl reached a hand up and caught it. She tossed it into a dumpster, pushed the bag around to her back, and pulled down her pair of rimless black shades.

_This is overly boring the hell out of me. I've been waiting. And there hasn't been a single call. Oh well._

She took her phone out of her bag just as it began to ring.

"What," She snapped into the phone.

"We thought you should know, 0019," A man said from the other end, "That we have arrived in the Hong Kong harbor."

"Well, it's about fucking time!" The girl answered. "I'll meet you there in under ten minutes. Have everything ready to move."

She hung up and pulled the glasses down a little. _Soon, we will not have to worry about this pathetic city. I'll call Josephine and tell her I'm on my way._

&-&-&-

"LET HER GO OR I'LL KILL 0014!" Pierre shouted, holding his gun to 0014's head. It appeared that she wasn't fighting to get out.

Across the Dolphin stood 0021, holding 0037 in a similar matter. The waves jumped behind 0021, and then washed over Pierre. The skies were crawling into a grayish color, and 0014 looked like she was controlling them and egging them on.

"Pierre, shut up!" 0037 screamed. "0019 says that she's on her way!"

Pierre's lips curved up into an evil smile. He shoved 0014 away and 0021 pushed 0037 into the water. 0014 turned, took out her own gun, and fired for Pierre's skull.

But the speeding bullet was blocked.

Blocked by a girl with white skin, mahogany hair, a cigarette butt clenched in her teeth, and piercing blue eyes. Over her shoulder was slung a black bag and she wore a black spaghetti strap top, dark flared jeans, and platform black sandals. Her nails and lips were painted red, and over her bright eyes she wore a pair of black glasses. Her right eye was vibrantly glowing, and from her right hand, a blue wall of energy had shot up.

Pierre laughed his most wicked laugh. 0042 sprang from the water and fired rapid shots on her needle setting, but the new girl blocked them all. 0021 tried to attack the girl herself, but it didn't work.

"What is she?" 0014 asked. Rain began to sprinkle from the clouds.

"I am 0019," The girl replied, then swallowed the butt. 0021 cringed at the sight. "I can beat every single one of you pathetic morons with my thumb!"

0037 winked at 0021 and vanished.

_I wonder…can you beat an invisible person with a sword?_

0021 took the Keyblade from mid-air as she had done before. She began to slash in random places in hopes of getting 0037.

And then all hell truly was unleashed.

Josephine flew out of the water, and landed face down. Pierre looked, almost frightened of what had happened. 0049 sprang from the water a moment later, shooting red light from his hands. 0042 jumped after him, controlling magma spurts and firing them in rapid succession with her gun.

Pierre dropped 0037 and jumped out to his older sister. He picked her form up out of the water, and let the damp brown hair hang over him. Gently, he felt her wrist. Then, his head turned and he shook with furry.

"YOU KILLED HER!" Pierre cried. 0042 pointed her gun down at him from her pillar of bubbles and aimed for Pierre. Pierre pulled out his own gun and shot for her.

(I didn't kill her!) 0042 frantically called. (Someone killed her before I got there!)

"YO! IDIOT!" 0021 shouted. "SOMEONE ELSE KILLED THAT BITCH!"

0042 dived back down for more cover. She swam to where she'd found the ship before, and let herself back on.

(0021!) 0042 called.

(I'm here, except for when I'm dead,) 0021 replied. (What do ya need?)

(Operation Boom and Dust,) 0042 said. (It's begun.)

0021, from her place with the Keyblade, threw her arms up in joy. "BOOOOOOOOOOOM!"

Instantly, the entire sea of churning water was flying up around the Dolphin to form a huge wall. With the water came 0042, 0049, 0061, Andrew, Marco, Pierre, the (who seemed to be such) dead Josephine, and a huge ship. 0042 was cheering 0021 on, and 0021 urged the water up further.

"When in hell's name is…" 0017 began to ask, hammer in hand, coming out of the Dolphin's interior. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PLANET?"

(Operation Boom and Dust is what's wrong,) 0043 replied coolly. (Do you know what it is?)

0017 threw her arms up, then placed them on her hips. (If I knew, would I be asking?)

(Operation Boom and Dust is relatively simple.) 0043 began. (It's only been recently introduced, so not many of us know. Boom is part of what 0021 is completing right now – part one of Boom. Soon she'll have taken in too much energy and unleash it, and in the process, send the water back down. This will result in a large tsunami, killing a possibly over a thousand people.)

(But why would se want to do that?) 0017 asked. It seemed stupid to kill people when you were going to protect them!

(You couldn't figure it out?) 0043 asked. (0042, 0016, and 0021 are all still working for Black Ghost. They relayed all your information back, and just wanted to make it seem as if they'd joined you.)

&-&-&-

"Speed it up. We're getting closer." The girl with the mahogany hair ordered. Her left eye was covered by the long brownish-red hair. "Part One of Operation Boom and Dust is proceeding correctly."

"But Miss," One of the many Black Ghost employees complained. "This is as fast as we can go."

She pulled her sunglasses down to look at him with her alarming blue eyes. "Is that so,"

He gulped. "No ma'am! I'll see what we can do!"

She smiled. "That's what I like to hear."

He scuttled off, terrified to be around for another second.

The girl pushed her sunglasses back up, and from her bag took a pair of black arm warmers that had a thumb hole. She pulled them up, onto her cold arms. Taking out a pocket mirror, she perfected her hair and covered her lips once more with the red gloss.

_They still think that 0019 is Josephine. Well, I can't wait to surprise the living hell out of them with _this_ trick. I really have to thank 0021 for the whole idea…_

"Miss," The guy from before said nervously. "We've arrived."

"Commence Dust Part One."

&-&-&-

_TOO MUCH MOTHER-FUCKING HEAT! _0021's mind screamed at her, but she refused to listen to it. The water continued to rise, and the energy levels that it was robbing 0021 of. But replacing the lost energy was hot, burning intensity that was flying through every single millimeter of 0021's body.

_I…can't…stand…any…more…_ She thought desperately. Her energy was completely depleted, and her body was far too hot. The nerves in her body were strung out so far that they ceased to exist.

Then it happened.

0021 began to spin rapidly, and in the process, the water spun with her. One of her arms raised up along her right side, and her left leg bent while her right leg extended to its fullest. She rose up, and the spiral of the water tightened. 0042 jumped down from the high waves, and floated down on some of the water to be near 0021.

(0042…it's so hot! No one warned me!) 0021 complained.

(Well, it's not _our_ fault, is it?) 0016 asked. (You volunteered for the job.)

(Yes, that's true, but you went along with the act,) 0021 returned. (Now! Tell 0019 to stop posing as Josephine and have Josephine come out!)

The rest heard the conversation rocketing between the three and were nothing short of being shocked. 002 was punching the wall as he listened to 0016 rattle off a long list of true names, then got ready to go out and wring her neck after she started to describe (in detail) about what he had done to her.

(CONCENTRATE! IT'S ALMOST TIME!) A new voice bellowed. Josephine, who was being held in Marco's arms, burst awake and jumped out of the male's arms. As she jumped down, the long brown hair began to vanish and became mahogany. The black clothes vanished and were replaced by a black tank top and jeans. (0021, do it NOW!)

0021 stopped her spin and held her arms up. She faced the sky, but she was nearly in tears from the pain that seared as she held her arms and all the heat that still ricocheted through her entire body. With great pleasure, she threw her arms down. The water remained up, and she fell down and began to run off, and fast.

0042 and 0016 were holding the water up, and trying to avoid attack from all the others at the same time. 0021 was running with the only shards of energy that the part of Operation Boom and Dust hadn't robbed her of. Tears fell from her cheeks from the amazing pain, and finally, she reached a safe location.

_I'm sorry, everyone…but it's for your own good!_

She drew her arms in, then tossed them out. At that moment, brilliant blue light poured from every centimeter of her body and raced out and up for miles. 0021 stood perfectly still, hands closed over her chest, hair forming an aureole, eyes closed.

Then came the boom.

As the light traveled out, it unleashed a supersonic boom. Although it was not very stealthy – it created such a noise that it shook the tower of water crashing back down. It was so eager to be released; it raced out over itself, creating waves ten to thirteen stories high.

(It's wonderful,) 0042 said in awe. Rain was furiously pounding now, following the emotion of 0014. (But what happened to 0021?)

(Tell us,) 004 said. (This is your work.)

(We don't know.) 0016 snapped. (She said she could do it. 0021 said that she wasn't afraid to die, if it came to that. 0061, do it now.)

From under the water, plants grew upward at a most alarming rate. 0061 was standing on the tallest knot of seaweed, head to one side and smiling.

0037 was also smiling and clinging to 0049. "I trust you, 0049. Come back for me, okay?"

0049 kissed her forehead. "For you, I'll come back."

0037 reached for her blaster and handed it to 0049. "It's more powerful than theirs. You can take it with you."

He handed her his. "You'll need to protect yourself."

"Oh, shut up. You don't know what I can do when I have to."

"You're right. And I don't want to."

Both ran off in different directions, but neither were prepared for what was to come.

&-&-&-

"What's this?" 0017 demanded, reaching into 0042's pocket and grabbing a small disk-like object.

"0021 asked if I'd give it to 009 for her, mind you," 0042 barked. "PAWS TO YOURSELF, MISSIE!"

Magma twirled up from the ocean and encased 0017 in a stone coffin. Seconds later, it exploded away and the hammer was out, ready to smash anything that dared enter its path.

"Whoa! Don't get that pissed off!" 0042 exclaimed, holding up a water barrier between the hammer and herself. "I said it was for 009 and him alone!"

009 took the disk from 0042's hands. A beam of blue light came out of the center, and then a hologram appeared.

"_I see 0042 remembered to give this to you," _0021's holographic image said. It smiled sadly. _"But by the time you'll be watching it, I'll have left already._

"_I meant to tell you…all of you sooner. But something deep down inside me kept me from saying anything. No, it wasn't anything Black Ghost did, it's something that goes back a long time. But enough about that. I'm sure you want to know what I've been doing this entire time._

"_0042, 0016 and I were assigned to Operation Boom and Dust. This operation was the plan to attack the entire planet with various methods of destruction at the same exact time. As you're watching, 0018 and 0020 are setting out the bombs in Hong Kong. In a minute or two, the tsunami I caused will reach the East Coast of the United States and Canada. 0037 and 0049 are busy working on causing a massive earthquake in Japan, and 0061 is ensuring the probability that you won't stop. 0019 – both of them, mind you – are here watching to guess the perfect time to set another tsunami off for Europe's western coast. The list goes on for ages. Ready for the kicker?_

"_Now, you're probably wondering why we didn't rebel. It's a weird question, since _I _don't even know the answer. The feeling that I get was that our abilities were tied too strongly to Black Ghost, and he was able to pull us back in. So, does that mean Andrew didn't really mean it when he said that he hated his family? No. Andrew truly hated killing innocent people. He wanted to run from it all. While I was pretending to fight 0037, 0042 and 0019 got onto Josephine's ship and changed Andrew with Pierre. They got the okey-dokey from Josephine and proceeded to kill him. 0019 and Josephine swapped positions – 0019 pretended to be killed, and Pierre went along with the act. You were the ones who fell for it."_

"The only one who wasn't insane," 0015 mumbled. "And they killed him."

"Shut up, she's still talking!" 0017 hissed.

"_009. I really did like you. You understood. 0015, Riku isn't as cool as Sora. And now that all of you morons have wasted your time to stop at least one of us, Operation Boom and Dust is a success. You're welcome to search for me now. 0042, 0016, continue part three of Boom as planned. 0019 is standing by and awaiting your call. All the rest of you, the world can thank you and _only _you for not preventing it. Thank you! This has been a message from 0021. It will explode in five seconds."_

The hologram vanished and the disk exploded.

Everyone but 0042, 0043 and 0016 stood in utter shock. 0043 simply sighed and sat down at the controls.

"What do you plan on doing?" 002 snarled. "There's nothing left. It's gone."

"She said that we were welcome to search for her," 0043 said. "Remember that she can have any ability she wishes. Maybe if we reach her in time, we can talk her out of all this."

"But what about 0019?" 0050 asked. "There's supposed to be two around here."

"They're here," 0016 said. "But they're busy right now, setting off one last reaction. I do advise you get a move on."

"You're helping us?" 0017 demanded.

"I never said to get a move on," 0016 answered. "I only _advised_ that you did. You don't have to listen."

"Get inside, idiots," 0043 barked. "009, you're helping me."

All but 0042 and 0016 piled back into the Dolphin and sped off. 0016 and 0042 stood placidly on the water, and watched as a ship rose.

"They're gone, I trust?" Pierre asked. 0016 nodded. "That's good. All is going according to plans. 0021 is in the opposite direction from where they need to be, if we're correct."

"I'll tell the others that it's safe to proceed," Marco said.

&-&-&-

(Listen to me.) 0021's weak voice rang out.

(Where are you,) 0043 asked.

(Two miles west of where you are now. Hurry, before they start tracking you. Hurry, before I forget.) 0021 responded.

(What are you going to forget?) 0015 asked.

(Everything. I'll be a robot. A dead, unfeeling robot.) 0021 said. (Hurry, hurry, please!)

A tiny, black dot came into view. It was thin, more like a line. As they drew close, they saw brown hair hanging limp around its upper quarter. Weakly, it raised an arm.

(Hello there,) 0021 called. (I can see you. You can see me.)

0043 stopped the Dolphin just as she could see the pupils of 0021's eyes. 0021 was trembling and struggled to even lower her arm. She pressed her fingers to her temples with the only strength she had left to use. As if in slow motion, 0021 collapsed into the shallow water.

009 walked out and gently nudged her. 0021 sat up instantly, a cold gleam freezing her eyes over by the second.

(009, you must teach me what it's like to be human again,) 009 heard the last dying shards of 0021's voice plead. (Then I can lead you to Black Ghost. So you can destroy…)

The hollow 0021 looked into 009's cinnamon eyes. "Who are you?"

&-&-&-

Hizashiburi no kimi no half smile ((Clip of 0014 controlling weather from a cloud))  
Wasurerarezu hajimaru genesis of next  
I can't get you out of mind  
Hitori tatazumu Please tell me why...  
But there's no easy answer

Genesis of Next  
Please tell me! Is this a test?  
Hey baby, do you need some help?  
You are alone... lonely planet

Genesis of Next  
you just get into  
alone on this planet  
lonely planet

Mata nozoita itsu mo no kagi ana ((Clip of 0015 practicing sword & other moves))  
Yami ni ussura jibun no kage dake  
Nokotta kizu boku wa iesezu  
Soko wa lonely planet

Mitsume au shunkan toki ga tomatta  
Jyareau kotoba subete ano mama  
Toki no itazura daki ai nagara  
Tobira wo shimezu tobi dashita...

I can't get you out of my mind...((Clip of 0016 freezing then burning stuff))

Kagirareta sekai no naka  
Anata wa ima nani shiteru no  
Mitasarenai yokubou wo  
Chotto shita wagamama butsukete

Ikiteiru dake datte  
Totetsumonai kotona no ni ne  
Koibito no aijyou toka yakimochi ni  
Toki wo torare namida nagashi

21st century hontou no ai ((Clip of 0017 summoning metal, and smashing it))  
Tonari no seki no otoko to  
Igami atteru baai jyanai  
Samishi gatteru basho jyanai

21st century hontou no ai  
Furite kuru hikari wo miyou  
Nan ka ime-ji wo tsukamou  
Nan ka fure-zu wo sagasou

Sagasanakute iikarane dakara  
Watashi no koreppocchi no yume nante  
Kakera dake de iikarane soshite  
Ai wo dare ka ni agete hoshiino

Nigete onegai moshi ima nani mo kamo kuzurete ((Clip of 0034 shooting fire))  
Sukui motomeru shigunaru de saemo  
Watashi no toiki saemo todokanakutemo  
Ashita wo kesazu ni ikireru kana  
Ikireru kana ikireru kana...

Akai sora wo jiyuu ni tobu tori ga ((then missiles and bullets…))  
Hane wo yasume kimi no soba ni nemuru  
Yume no naka de kimi wo sagashi mitsuke  
Itoshii lonely planet

Devil in my shoes!  
You left me alone...  
and you're gone...

Nureta hoho wo kaze ni sarashite ((clip of 0042 controlling water and magma))  
Hoshi wo mi age  
Mune ni chikau

Omoide no uta  
Kuchi zusande  
Kioku wo sotto  
Taba nete iku

Yasashi sugita  
Kotoba ni yurare  
Namida nagashite  
Hohoemitai

Okotta kizu boku wa iesezu ((Clip of 0043 rapidly transforming))  
Soko wa lonely planet  
Kagirareta sekai no naka  
Anata wa ima nani shiteru no  
Mitasarenai yokubou wo  
Chotto shita wagamama butsukete

Ikiteiru dake datte  
Totetsumonai kotona no ni ne  
Koibito no aijyou toka yakimochi ni  
Toki wo torare namida nagashi

North, East, South, West ((Clip of 0050 flying and shooting))  
Hontou no ai natsukashii kotoba ni mayoi  
Ima kangaete mireba  
Kimi wa hitori de odotteita...

21st century hontou no ai  
Furite kuru hikari wo miyou  
Nan ka ime-ji wo tsukamou  
Nan ka fure-zu wo sagasou

Ah...

Sagasanakute iikarane dakara ((Clip of 0021 summoning stuff…))  
Watashi no koreppocchi no yume nante  
Kakera dake de iikarane soshite  
Ai wo dare ka ni agete hoshiino

Nigete onegai moshi ima nani mo kamo kuzurete ((then showing random abilities…))  
Sukui motomeru shigunaru de saemo  
Watashi no toiki saemo todokanakutemo

Akai sora wo jiyuu ni tobu tori ga  
Hane wo yasume kimi no soba ni nemuru  
Yume no naka de kimi wo sagashi mitsuke  
Itoshii lonely planet

Amai toki ni yurare sora wo nagame ((all cyborgs))  
Nemuru yoru no ame ni namida nagashi  
Kako wo kabai itamu kizu wo ieshi  
Asu wo kesazu ni ikireru kana...

&-&-&-&-

THANKS, JOE AND ANZUTIE! They helped me with those lyrics! Joe had the song, Anzu made me type and spell check, but it all worked out eventually. BUT AN HOUR AND A HALF! GOD DAMN!

(whispered: SAY IT!)

0021: Oh yeah!

((0021 narrating)) I'm 0021, a member of Generation 3, part of Black Ghost's cyborg experiments. But some of us got a little out of hand…okay, maybe REALLY out of hand. Next time in D.S. al Coda, we learn why 0042, 0016 and I decided to keep working for Black Ghost…Mika, what do you mean by this? ((Mika screams somewhere in the background)) Oh, okay! In Chapter Six of D.S. al Coda, Angel from My Nightmare, it's a tough question from someone 009 holds very close: who she is, and what's it like to be human! See you next time, space cowboy!


	6. Angel from My Nightmare

Believe it or not, a bunch of real people have their real identities in this story. Mine does show up, Rose's real appearance is described, Joe's basic figure is described, Sadie, for crying out loud, volunteered to post her real name and looks and everything for you. One more has themselves hidden within this chapter, and will only come in this chapter. Well, maybe I kid. Possibly two.

The title of this chapter comes from a Blink-182 song. Oh, and for your information, I only own the Scarl children, both dead and alive.

&-&-&-

D.S. al Coda

Chapter Six: Angel from My Nightmare

&-&-&-&-

"Who are you?" 0021 asked in a hollow voice, devoid of all emotion.

"You don't remember? I'm 009!" 009 said. She tilted her head.

"What does it mean to 'remember'?" 0021 asked.

"She forgot everything, like she said she would," 0017 said. "Oh, 0021! To remember is…to know what it's like, to have done it before. Like emotion."

"What's emotion?" 0021 asked.

"Teach her what it's like to be human," 009 muttered. 0017 looked at him. "That's the only way we can destroy the bastard who blackmailed her into this."

"What's it like to be human?" 0021 asked. "What's emotion?"

"Emotion is a feeling," 009 explained. "Like love, happiness."

"What's love?"

&-&-&-

"0018, we're getting closer." A girl said. Her long raven hair was pulled up into a high bun, and the bun was tumbling apart and letting the long locks dangle. She wore a short denim skirt, denim jacket, a dark blue tank top, denim ultra high-top Converse, and around each ankle hung four silver bracelets. The raven eyes looked piercingly out onto the Hong Kong harbor.

"Marco says that we can proceed as planned." A boy with short black hair tied back into a ponytail replied. His resemblance to the girl was stunning: the same pointed face, identical onyx eyes, even similar dress means. He wore denim shorts, a denim jacket, dark blue shirt, and huge black Nikes.

"0018, you go that way." The girl ordered before bounding off the rooftop and unfastening one of the bracelets. She dropped it and landed on the next roof. As the bangle hit the ground, it exploded. Nodding, she clicked her acceleration switch.

(You reckless fool, 0020! That was out in the open…) 0018, the boy, began to say.

(Oh, shut up. No one's here right now.) The girl, 0020, responded. (They're all running off because they're scared shitless.)

(You could still be discovered.) 0018 snapped.

(By who? I don't suppose 0019 would show up and want to see me?) 0020 returned. She yanked her bun out and let the hair tumble.

&-&-&-

"Lady Diana," One of the pilots said. "We are drawing near Hong Kong."

The mahogany-haired girl shifted. "0019, are you sure that it's safe?"

"0018 assures me that it is," An identical girl said. Well, not perfectly identical. The first girl to have spoken wore her hair over her left eye, and the other girl wore her hair over the right eye. The second girl also had a cigarette sticking out the left side of her mouth, and she occasionally popped it out and let out putrid air.

"Really, 0019," The first girl said. "Must you smoke?"

"Must you always be so uptight?" The second girl replied snappishly.

"Lady Diana, Hong Kong is in view." The pilot said. The first girl stood up from her chair and looked out the window.

"Ah, I can see the two did their job brilliantly. 0019, please greet them and tell them that the final phase will be occurring soon." Lady Diana, as she was called, said. 0019 rose, shoved the cigarette butt into an ashtray and saluted the Lady.

"0021's memories are gone?" 0019 asked. "Are you certain, Diana? You've been known to make stupid mistakes like this."

"I am positive. I even watched. Leave now," Diana commanded, waving a hand. "We'll be there shortly, as will 0042 and 0016."

"The rest are coming soon, too," 0019 said. "But as you wish. I suppose you'll fight with us?"

Diana nodded. "We must meet. They'll wake 0021's memories up, and in the reaction, she sets of the final phase. This is the time we've waited for, 0019 – we'll rule the planet with the God Black Ghost as our ruler!

"We'll be queens of ruin and despair, duchesses of dirt! We'll be princesses of death and destruction, ladies of waste!" Diana paused and let her words sink in. "All that has to happen is for 009 to say the words 'something you told me' and everything will activate in her mind. Then, and only then, will the world not be enough!"

0019 took out her pistol and another cigarette. "Whatever you say, Diana. But I think you've made a mistake."

&-&-&-

"You know what to do, correct?" Josephine asked.

"Relax, Josie. We have it all under control." 0042 replied with a flash of her teeth. "Your brothers created us to do your dirty work, did they not?"

Josephine surpressed a scream and a throttling of the Taiwanese girl.

"We arrive in Hong Kong in twenty minutes, so be ready," Marco said.

&-&-&-

"But what do you mean by it?" 0021 asked. 0017, 003, and the rest of the cyborgs (well, except 0043) were ready to throw a fit. They had been at this for well over an hour.

"It was something you told me," 009 said. As if by magic, 0021's eyes lit up. A smile flew to her face and her shoulders rose. It was as if the sun had come out again after a long storm, and everyone was relieved by it.

But their glory lasted for maybe, oh; I gave them a minute.

"Nothing is enough any longer," 0021 said. "Thank you, all of you! But…"

"But what?" 0017 demanded. "We do all that for you and _what?_"

0021 stood up, and with her, she dragged thin traces of white light. She laughed and extended a hand to 009.

"We, the members of the Black Ghost Organization, salute you. You have helped us to complete the final phase of Operation Boom and Dust! Now that you have…the world is not enough. I guess I'll see you later!" 0021 exclaimed, rising up and laughing. Soon, she was but a glimmer halfway into the sky.

And, in an instant, all other lights were extinguished. 0021 became the solitary source of light to the entire planet. As it turned out, a very dangerous light she was.

Again, the sun appeared in the sky. The sky was a horrible shade of bloody orange, and the moon rapidly rose in the eastern sky. Stars flashed on as the sun and moon eclipsed half of one another. The sun shone furiously red and the moon was deep, deep orange. The world had become a tainted mess – the ocean retained a grayish shade, while anything alive and green shriveled up and died.

&-&-&-

0019 and Diana watched as they rode up the windowed elevator in Hong Kong, toward Black Ghost's meeting.

"You did good, Di." 0019 said, slapping Diana on the back. "The final phase is almost complete."

The orange moon, golden stars and red sun twinkled in their blue eyes. The cityscape was mirroring the gold, orange and red, and turned black as they dared absorb the sacred light.

For one last light was on the horizon.

It was a far more brilliant than any of the other dying illuminations. The light was drawing in all the other lights and spitting out radiant white light. Diana looked out, almost sorry for 0021 to have to go through it.

They reached the top floor and stepped out into the entirely glass room.

"Girls, I trust that you've been introduced to my youngest daughter, Alexa?" Scarl asked from a high-backed chair at the farthest end of the room. A girl stepped out from behind him.

She was tiny, like a stick figure that had become three-dimensional, but she was tall like a willow. She had silky black hair that fell in a straight line to her waist, and stormy gray eyes. Her dress was similar to her older siblings': black leather pants, black sneakers, an elegant black Chinese-style shirt, a thick black bracelet on each wrist, a single die with colored numbers dangling from her right ear, and finally, a black necklace with a black star hanging from it.

"Alexa, these are 0019 and Diana." Scarl introduced his daughter. "This is my youngest…erm…child." He struggled to find the right wording. "She's sixteen."

Just then, the two elevators dinged. They slid their doors open at the same time to reveal 0018, 0020, 0016, 0042, 0037, 0049, Marco, Pierre, Josephine, and the dead Andrew.

"0061's coming up soon," 0042 said. "She said if she got on, the elevator cables would snap and we'd die. We didn't want to resort to that."

They stepped off and the elevators went zooming back down to satisfy 0061's button-punching craze. Josephine walked to her younger sister.

"I trust that you understand, Alexa." Josephine said. This was one of the only times the two had been allowed to talk to one another, let alone be near one another. Alexa and Josephine's personalities had a horrible collision if one wasn't able to be dominant over the other.

"I understand what is at risk and what there is to be earned. Please, everyone, have a seat. All your questions will be answered once and for all. 0042 and 0016, thank you for safeguarding this building so we will be prepared for what is to come." Alexa said. Her voice was slightly deep.

The elevator dinged and 0061 flung herself out of it. "The time has almost come,"

The five members of the Scarl family that were capable of smiling did so.

"Excellent, 0061." Josephine said. "You checked to make sure the earthquake would hit as the eclipse occurred?"

0061 nodded. She looked out the window.

"Let's watch and see just how well she matured."

&-&-&-

The lights were slowly drawn into the beaming 0021, who was giving off more and more light by the moment. 003 had simply given up trying to watch and had buried her head in 009's shoulder to cry there. He was too captured by the elegant death to notice her despair.

Finally, there was no more light to take in. The world was bleak and dismal shades of black and gray. Nothing was growing. All that was left was the falling body of 0021.

009 gently lifted 003's head up and ran to catch 0021 as she fell. And as she fell, the light flickered out. When 009 caught her, he saw another figure standing next to her.

"Relax. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help." A female's voice said. It was low and melodic and it floated lightly through their ears.

"Who or what are you?" 002 demanded. "We have the right not to trust anyone any longer, after what they did!"

"I am 0099, the last cyborg to ever be created by the Black Ghost Empire. Perhaps it would be best if I were to explain inside, where you could see me. I trust that you do have a warship named the Dolphin?" It said. 009 carried 0021 into the Dolphin, where the lights still burned. 0043 was sitting at the controls.

They had all entered, and the girl pulled off a black cloak. To say the least, she looked quite regal. Her hair was dark brown and pulled back into a long braid, and left her bangs to hang in her dark violet eyes. She wore a green uniform like the cyborgs generally wore: but this one bore silver buttons, a silver cape, and the same black boots. Across her back was slung a two-bladed samurai sword, and at her hips hung two guns. Tying the end of her braid was a green ribbon, tied into a small bow, with a solid silver 2-inch ball hanging from another, separately tied ribbon.

"You see, I'm not from your time. I'm from ten years in the future." She said. "As I told you before, my number is 0099. In my time, this is the event that changed the world. You failed to search for Black Ghost, and thus allowed them to gain control while people were weak from the attacks. 0021 called me here to see if I could change that."

"So then, what do you mean?" 004 asked 0099.

"You needn't worry about 0021. She'll live. As for the rest of you, get into the control room. I can explain on our way through the dark to Hong Kong."

"Why Hong Kong?" 0017 asked.

"Hong Kong, in my time, is where their base is set up. From there, Josephine, Marco, Pierre, Alexa, and the cybernetic Andrew command the other continents." 0099 replied.

They entered the control room and left 0021 lying on the couch. Once they had gotten a little way out, 0099 began to talk again.

"I know that you are all from generations one, two and three." 0099 said after ten minutes of silence. "Do you want to know what happens if you don't do this?"

"Yeah," 0034 responded.

"After these events with 0021 occurred, the Scarl family took over by saying that they could solve all their problems. You lot were too busy wallowing how you couldn't save the planet, and so allowed them to take absolute control. After your generation, generations four through nine came about – by human killings.

"There was hardly any light left on the planet. The sun, moon and stars still exist, but they're dull and dismal and seem to hang in the sky from strings. You were captured and reprogrammed by Marco and Alexa. After that, you were sent out to kill the humans that hadn't died in the disasters. Ones that seemed fit enough to become cyborgs were brought in, and many others were massacred on the spot. But still, enough survived to have a barely thriving race.

"People had a very difficult time living. Nowhere was safe after generations four and five were sent out – they had x-ray capabilities. Soon we learned that we had to live underground and build greenhouses to survive from them. Then, Alexa made a trip to see if anything was left. Low and behold, there were entire cities beneath the surface! She sent everyone after us, then returned to Josephine and reported the find. My sisters and I were taken from our home, and our parents were killed before our eyes. We were lead to a training facility beneath a deep orange moon. I spent the next year being beaten and trained until I was changed into a cyborg. They grafted my body in the form of the ultimate killer – thin, flexible, strong, and silent.

"Of course, you're wondering, what ever became of the rest of the humans? I killed about a fifth of them while they slept. It made me cry, but I knew that if I helped, I would be killed by one of the Scarl family members. Generation Nine – my generation – was the bred killers. They figured that with us, not a single soul would be left to stop their plans of moving out into space and destroying any life there. Orbiting satellites, if we fail to stop them this time, will be sent up about three years from now. A few of the other cyborgs were sent there to monitor their conditions, to see if they were livable.

"Of course, now, you're welcome to not go. I don't care." 0099 concluded, leaving a room of stunned cyborgs in her wake. 0050 was the first to find her tongue.

"One: you talk like you were alive when all this happened. How old are you? And two: who the hell is Alexa?" She asked.

"Alexa is Scarl's youngest daughter in my time, and most likely in yours. Right now, in this time, I'm seventeen, and I'll be eighteen in about seven months. My older younger sister is fifteen, and my youngest sister just turned eleven." 0099 replied. "But in my time…you do the math."

They looked ahead out of the Dolphin. Hell was waiting behind and in front of them, they had to decide which path to take.

0099 pulled her sword off her back. "That's Hong Kong, dead ahead. You'll find them in a tall glass building near the harbor…"

It all happened in about ten seconds flat. A massive tremble came for a fraction of a second, but that was all it took. Water flew up out of the water, and the sun and moon and stars shone their beautiful true colors in a black sky. Another tremor shook the earth.

(Hang onto something,) 0099 said. In a split second, they were moving fast. It wasn't acceleration mode, but it felt just about as fast. They were flying, and flying urgently fast.

(Okay, you can let go now.) 0099 said again. "I apologize. If we didn't move, we'd probably be dead right now. We're near the building. Come."

She walked to the ladder to exit the Dolphin. Before she mounted the ladder, she said a few final words.

"Put your uniforms on. I'll help you to bundle them so you can move faster, if you so wish to. Take any weapon you can – these people are like hell's wrath on land."

So they all began to walk for their rooms, where their uniforms were kept. 0099 looked at 0021, whose chest was rising and falling gently.

"Lucky you, getting to sleep through this entire mess." 0099 muttered.

&-&-&-

"Ah, perfect." Pierre commented, raising his glass of champagne. "A toast to us – the new rulers of the planet!"

The other occupants of the room also raised their glasses in the toast. They drank lightly and returned to watching out the windows.

Of course, what they weren't excepting to see was a blue-and-gold-clad girl flying in mid-air, holding a two-bladed samurai sword.

&-&-&-

"0017, go down that hall and climb the stairs to the seventh floor. 004, go with her. 009, 003, head up in that elevator and I'll go up with 002 in the other one. The rest of you, check and make sure this floor is clear then tell me. We'll send the elevators down to you once you have." 0099 said. The pairs split and went in their directions.

It was 0043 who was currently up near the hundredth floor, fooling the self-proclaimed "new rulers of the planet". Not to mention that she was having a wonderful time doing such, and wielding a deathly weapon duplicate on top of it.

0099 and 002 pressed the button for the thirty-eighth floor. 0099 leaned back against the glass wall.

"I should tell you this." She began. "Four years from now, we would meet. You…were my boyfriend."

002's face instantly became seven shades of red. 009 and 003's elevator was a few floors above theirs, so luckily, they wouldn't see.

"Would you be better off not knowing?" 0099 asked meekly. 002 shook his head profusely. She giggled. "I'll give you a present. Do you want it?"

He knew what she meant. Without knowing, she placed her hands around his neck and kissed his cheek lightly. He looked across at her violet eyes. They were smiling back at him, almost daring him to come closer.

(Hello, we're kinda STUCK down here!) 0015's angry voice called. The elevator reached the thirty-eighth floor, and 002 and 0099 stepped out of it. It zoomed back down.

&-&-&-

004 watched as 0017 walked up the stone stairs, seemingly tirelessly. She turned around to look at him.

"You know, 004…" 0017 said, hopping down a few steps. He looked at her. "We may die, and I'd never get to tell you this."

004 was not ready for what she wanted to tell him so badly.

"I love you," 0017 said. His eyes widened. She laughed a little and ran back up the stairs. "If you can catch me, maybe I'll prove it!"

&-&-&-

_Rendezvous on the thirty-eighth floor my ass, _0015 thought as she sat down by a fountain near the elevators. _And exactly where are the others? Nowhere, I might add…_

Just then, she heard a gun from one of the corridors. She stood up, Soul Eater at the ready, and began to run.

"TAKE THAT!" 0099 hollered, dropping down from the ceiling and somersaulting in mid-air. Her braid followed her around and whapped a guard in the face with the silver ball. 0099 then held her sword out, turned around, and out of all the things she could have done…

…she fired it like a gun.

Flat bullets flew from the tip of the blade, destroying the remainder of the advancing guards. Many of the other cyborgs poked their heads out of office doors to see if she had finished yet.

"We're all here? All alive?" 0099 asked. She looked around. "Good. 0043 is still up there, talking with them. 002, 0014, 0016 and I will fly up there. 0050, see if you can carry someone and scale the walls. Everyone else, I hope you like elevators."

&-&-&-

"If you were any stupider, I swear, you'd be dangerous," 0043 said, still posing as 0099.

Just then, the glass crashed inward and five cyborgs jumped through the gap. One was the real 0099, who nodded to 0043. 0043 returned to her normal look, and managed to surprise Pierre and Marco. 0099 strode to where Josephine sat.

"One wrong move, and I will kill her." 0099 said, holding the tip of the blade to Josephine's throat. "There's two ways: I could shoot her, or slice her throat open. It is, of course, your choice to loose her."

Alexa swiveled around in her chair, then held out a gun. "Diana, be ready to attack them on 0020's command. 0019, 0018, monitor the elevators. There are probably more of these on their way. You kill her, 0099, and I'll kill you."

0099 was at a loss for words. Alexa's face twisted up into a smile.

"You see, my dear," Alexa said, standing up and pacing like her father would. "0043 let a few key words slide, such as _future, past, my other half, _and other such vocabulary."

Getting the idea that she and Josephine just don't mix?

0099 sprang away from Josephine and unleashed twenty bullets in one second flat. Pierre whipped out a pistol and volleyed back and forth with her.

The others in the room did not remain idle. For example, 0017 jumped clear over the table and landed a foot from Marco's head, then tried to pummel him. He whirled around just in time to avoid attack and tried to counterstrike her. 0017's reflexes were much faster than her creator's were – she had an acceleration switch and he didn't.

0020 and 0034 were having a good go at one another. 0034 was able to throw out missiles and bullets from her arms and legs faster than 0020 could free the bracelets and set off a bomb. 0020 then pulled the card that 0034 hadn't been expecting out of her sleeve – 0020 could do more damage than that. She jumped up onto the table, flicked her wrist, and ice flew around 0034. 0034 burned out of it, and another form of fighting began.

0018 and 002 were fighting with words and fists.

0037 had found a corner and was hiding in it. She hated fighting – fight, fight, fight, that was all she had been told to do. She had found 0049 out of the blue. A gang had murdered his best friend, a girl.

A bullet came speeding out of nowhere toward her. Her eyes flashed up in time, and she held her hand up. She saw 007 standing, aiming for 0049. 007 looked scared shitless, and she could easily give 0049 the upper hand.

Quickly, she bounded over the fighting cyborgs. She loosed her gun from her hip, got ready to fire…

…And felt the white-hot feeling you can only receive when a bullet has pierced your chest. 0037 heard 0049's mangled words as she slid into blackness.

0049's back stiffened and he stood up as tall as he could. He shook. "You…bastard…"

He let a punch fly toward 006, who wasn't fast enough to dodge. The punch was brutal – it had a white-hot sting on the edge of it. 0099 jumped behind him and tried to attack with her sword, but for the first time in her life, the blade was caught and thrown down. She took out a gun and instead of shooting at 0049; she shot at the unprotected Diana.

Diana snapped her body around and held up a hand, freeing a blue forcefield and lighting up her left eye. 0019 dropped down from the ceiling and took aim for 0099.

All through this, Marco, Pierre, Josephine, Alexa and Scarl watched the cyborgs fight against one another.

"My, my, they do have aggressive tempers," Alexa noted. "Shall we send for 0042 and 0016? Or shall we intervene and…"

"No, you idiot," Josephine cut in, "You need to wait until they begin to fall in rapid succession. 0049 has opened up into insane fury, 00-whatever can fight for herself and seems to have it under control, 0017 can whack a few out with her hammer, and the rest just need to open their fucking minds up. No, I think _we_ can fight."

Alexa's thin lips curved into a tight smile. "Who to kill, who to kill."

Pierre looked at her. "Take out 0043."

Josephine loaded a tiny gun and took aim for the black-haired impersonator. 0043 was too busy fighting 0019 to notice, and the bullet entered her neck. In seconds, she had fallen. 0019 shot her once more.

Outside, the light was dwindling down again. Everything was turning black. Diana looked out the window.

"This building _is_ safe, right?" Diana asked Marco. "I'm scared to think what would happen if something went wrong. Well, it already went wrong by them showing up, but what if the whole plan failed?"

Finally, the entire planet was dark. Lights burned only from inside the top floor of a tall building in Hong Kong. Josephine took aim for the unfamiliar cyborg.

But out of nowhere, a black and silver clad girl jumped. She weld a sword longer and thicker that 0099's, but it was of the same design. Her hair was tied into a low ponytail, and her eyes were a dulled shade of blue-green-gray.

(That is the 0021 _I_ know,) 0099 said. (She has no emotion left in her. Her body is basically dead, after they killed everything she loved.)

0021 jumped up and flung her sword out. 0019 held her hand out and 0021 vanished.

"Time to finish you," Josephine muttered. She shot for 0099's neck once more.

0099 first felt the blooming sensation of blood rushing to her neck as she delivered a would-be fatal blow to 0061. She heaved a breath, but the effort was a massive waste of precious energy. She fell to the ground, trying to stop the blood. Eventually, her body lay still.

0015's eyes slowly rose and her gun came out. "Bitch."

She shot Josephine five times, all into major arteries. 0020 simply froze her.

"What the fuck is going on?" 0019 suddenly demanded from her fighting with 009.

Across the sky boomed out emerald. Suddenly, in the glass room, the dead cyborgs and humans vanished. Small children appeared in the room. The older occupants looked at them: their faces were somewhat transparent, and as the cyborgs browsed the faces, they found their own. A small jolt went through the room, and the small children got a little bigger. They had begun to slowly mill about, but they never mixed.

Diana's eyes filled with tears, as she too became transparent. _That girl…she wasn't from our time…the plan…failed…_

Another jolt, and the children jumped a few years. 009 could begin to pick out some of his friends, if that was what he should call them by – 0021 with bangs, 003 in pigtails, 002 with short hair, and most stunning, himself. Two of the faces had lit up – and both looked like 0099. Both had dark brown hair, except one looked a little younger and had sapphire blue eyes instead of the older one's violet ones.

A fourth jolt zapped the room. This time, the figures walked past him. One or two lit up this time. Their clothes had changed a little – all of them were growing.

"004…this has to be the end…" 0017 whispered. 004 patted her head and kissed her forehead. She looked at him, then kissed his lips deeply.

The fifth jolt circled the room. A few more faces became more vivid – 0021's and the girl like 0099. A third girl looking like 0099 appeared near them – except her eyes were a more delicate shade of violet. The younger 0016 was hiding from the younger 002, while little 0014 was nearby 002.

"What do you suppose this is?" 0015 asked as she held her younger counterpart to her.

Jolt number six came, and so did the start of adolescence. 0021 was introducing herself to many people and lighting their faces up. She met 0061, then 0037, and then the youngest 0099.

The sky outside was growing a huge apricot-colored rose – no kidding.

The seventh jolt jumped up. 003 saw it as it happened: she, 002, 004 and 001 were now in the red uniforms. Their faces all lit up and they stood together – Generation One was complete.

An eighth jolt made its way, leaving 005 through 0013 in the red uniforms. Their group also stood isolated as Generation Two.

The ninth jolt brought Generation Three with it. The blue uniforms replaced teenager clothing.

The tenth jolt. People none of them had ever met before lit up and were placed into navy blue and silver uniforms – most likely, Generation Four.

The eleventh jolt. A group of people was taken this time and was clad in purple and gold uniforms, signaling Generation Five.

0017 noticed – these people were completely random. Even as she looked at the people she knew so well, they all seemed so very different. The people who hadn't lit up yet were just as random – a Japanese girl here, a Mexican boy there, a French man, a noble-looking British girl, a middle-aged Chinese lady, and it went on like that. The only three that were banded together were the three 0099s. Others were near one another, but seemed to not notice each other.

The twelfth jolt. Generation Six came with green and gold uniforms.

The thirteenth jolt. Generation Seven arrived with orange and gold uniforms.

The fourteenth jolt. Black and silver uniforms brought in Generation Eight, including the younger-looking forms of 0099.

At last, the fifteenth jolt. The remaining cyborgs grew into green and silver uniforms.

0021 walked up to them, along with the three 0099 clones.

"You're wondering what's going on, right?" The middle, sapphire-blue eyed 0099 asked.

009 nodded.

"When they killed 0099 in the past, it meant they killed her in the future too. But that was the other future, the future before Josephine died." She said. Her uniform sizzled and burned, and was replaced by two long French braids, an indigo shirt, a pair of jeans, and platform black sandals. The rose was fully bloomed now and the rest of the sky had returned to black.

"We're all alive – Josephine, 0043, 0037…even my onee-kun." She said. "Sadie, would you do the honors?"

0021 tossed her hair back and smiled. The uniform vanished and was replaced by a pair of jeans, a red shirt that said "The real thing!", and black sandals with a sequin strawberry on them.

"For you, Mika, I'll think about it!" 0021 said with a laugh. "It's time, everyone. Our future awaits: all we have to do is chase it."

Then, out across the entire black sky, an emerald boom rang out and stars appeared. The people began to vanish.

"0099!" 002 called. "You said you'd tell me your real name!"

0099 turned around and smiled at him, and the apricot rose dropped its last petal to reveal a milk-white moon. "My name is Anzu Shirizawa."

And she was gone. The room was clear again. In fact, there was no room. They were back on the Dolphin.

"Was that…for real?" 0050 asked.

"It was real," 002 said. "She was real, at least."

&-&-&-

"God _damn it!_" Josephine yelled, pinning 0042 to the wall. "This was _your_ fault, wasn't it?"

0042 shook her head. "I wouldn't do that! You told me the rules a long time ago! It's kill or be killed, and I tried to kill!"

"Trying is never good enough," Alexa said, sitting in a high-backed chair. "Yes, Josephine, I do believe that these two are rogue. Feel free to torture them…they're of no use to us any longer. Strip them and send them back if you so desire. Pierre, come with me. We'll be doing something with Andrew, if you don't mind…"

"Never good enough." Josephine repeated, gazing pointedly into 0016's eyes. "You were lying to us the whole time…"

"We _weren't_, you bitch!" 0042 shouted.

Those were the last words from her mouth that night.

&-&-&-

"Hey 004…" 0017 said as she vacuumed. "Did you mean that?"

004 looked up from his book. "I did."

"Then can I trust you with something?"

"Depends what it is."

"My name."

004 looked up at her. She was still wiping down the coffee table, but there was a glazed, far-off look in her eyes.

"If I can trust you with mine."

0017 looked up and strode off to the door. She closed it, then searched for any irregular magnetic objects in the room.

"My name is Anya." 0017 said. 004 could understand what this meant – _she had meant what she did. _ And she trusted him. She was beaming at him. It wasn't a false smile. She dropped the cleaning supplies and hugged him.

"Whoa…" 004 said, laughing at her. The door slammed open to reveal 0014 and 002, who were getting really lovey-dovey. Instantly, they were zoomed out by a strong magnetic wave. "I'm Albert."

Anya laid her head back on his shoulder. "Would you mind if I fell asleep?"

&-&-&-

"Di-an-_aaaaaaaaaa_," 0019 shouted and punched in the key code to Diana's room. "Good Lord, what's wrong with you?"

Diana was crying. For as harsh and unfeeling 0019 was, Diana was just about as caring and kind. But there were instances when their minds seemed to become one, and on those, Diana had the power to wipe out a continent.

0019 put out her cigarette. "What's wrong?"

"Andrew…" Diana confessed. "They turned him into a cyborg."

This could only mean one thing.

Black Ghost was planning on taking off into space and wiping out the earth from there.

She sat down on the ground next to Diana. "It'll be alright, Diana. But can you tell me what else is wrong?"

Diana was crying contentedly into 0019's shoulder. 0019 laid her arms around the human and gently rubbed her back. Diana presently fell into a light sleep.

_I just hope they don't find out…_0019 thought, lifting Diana into her bed and pulling the covers up. _I don't think they knew that Andrew and Diana were going out, or that Pierre and 0050 liked one another. But God only knows what would happen if they found out that Diana was in contact with her sisters…not that I count._

Her eyes fell on the picture of Diana and her. Sure, 0019 was in it, but at that time she'd gone by a different name. A name that was hers to hide from the rest of the world.

Except for…

&-&-&-&-

Wow. That's all I can say. Wow.

I bet none of you were expecting that end to the fight, were you? And none of you were expecting my onee-kun to pop up and say 002 was her boyfriend? ((Anzu and 002 blush)) Well…this chapter was really fun! Especially with two 0019s on the loose, and the final plot set out for all to see. Oh, and by the way, that is an accurate description of Anzu and Sora.

If you can figure out the whole apricot rose, emerald boom and star thing you'll get the rights to 0018 and 0020! MEGA HINTS: Anzu's full name is Anzu Anthay, and Sora's is Sora Hoshi. My name is Mikage Ruri. If you are good enough with your languages, you'll figure this one out in no time flat! Also, since 0021 uses the name 'Mika', you can draw conclusions from that.

Oh, and it's time for a something else to be opened up! ((takes out a big box and whacks 002 with the box of DOOM!)) It's time for **YOU** (yes, you, you pathetic mortal) to choose the song for the D.S. al Coda Songfic Contest! Any song with a speed up in tempo and is NOT RAP will be accepted! That's right! You could be the person who chooses my song for the climax for me! Or you can be a lazy bum and look at The Cyborg Children! Winner gets to join me in Coke Induced Madness for one chapter!

That's right, read, review, flame! Eat, drink, be merry, and torture people you hate! GET ME LYRICS OR DIE!


	7. Forte

I know, the last couple of chapters have had pretty much nothing to do with music, but this chapter returns the craze! Forte means to be LOUD! BE **BOLD**! Not what Ra and 0015 would be thinking, which is "FORTE! FOR-TE FOR-TE FORTE!"

I don't own Forte, or anyone else. Well…I own Josephine, Marco, Pierre, Andrew and Alexa! Doesn't that make you wanna go DOUBLE FORTE?

**MAJOR CANCELLATION : The D.S. al Coda Songfic Contest is closed. I cannot afford to be deleted a second time, so I will not use a songfic. However much I want to, I won't. However…if you've written a song, you can hopefully submit those with busting Operation Songfic Contest.**

ONTO MEASURE 104! ((Where Project Meteor is opened, Andrew is brought back from the dead, and hell rises to Earth once more))

&-&-&-

D.S. al Coda

Chapter Seven: Forte

&-&-&-&-

009 continued to stroke the short, light brown hair. Its owner was still sound asleep – she wouldn't care, even if she was awake. And it was more than likely that she wasn't about to jerk awake and pummel the Japanese boy, for she had been in this state for nearly three days.

0099 had said that she would just stay asleep, and wake up. It wasn't that he doubted her, it was just that it had been a while. He had never been very patient – it was always that you had to keep moving on. He heard 006's calls for lunch and left the infirmary.

As the door closed, 0021's eyes began to open. Her hand flew to cover them as tears spilled down onto the white cotton sheets. She rolled over and cried like she hadn't in a long, long time.

And she was happy that no one was there to watch her.

&-&-&-

"There." Pierre said to Alexa and Marco. "He's finished. Shall we give him a number?"

"Nah," Marco said. "He's still Andrew. Why change it?"

They both knew that saying anything about how Josephine had commissioned them to do this would set Alexa off on a rampage. They exchanged glances and left the room. Alexa blinked and also left, her black hair waving out behind her.

They ran into Josephine as they walked down the hall. Josephine was heading off for a meeting in Central America, so they only told her that they had finished. She acknowledged it with a curt nod and told Marco to get changed because he was going to be heading with her.

"Alexa, I would watch out for when Andrew wakes up," Pierre said. "I'm off to work on 0042 and 0016. Try not to kill Andrew, okay?"

The four went in their separate directions. Pierre rubbed his weary eyes. They were in their estate, but it also served as a base to the Black Ghost Organization.

&-&-&-

"I'll help clean up today," 0015 volunteered. "009, are you going back down there again?"

"Heh, yeah," 009 responded, grinning a little. "I can't but help but feel sorry for her."

"That's okay. Just let me know when you're planning on making this up." 0015 said, walking into the kitchen with a high stack of plates and silverware. She checked to make sure that no one had touched Soul Eater, then entered.

009 walked down the long halls to the infirmary. It sounded like 0021 had woken up inside, so the door slid open to admit him. Sure enough, 0021 lay on her side, crying into the pillow as if to muffle her sobs. He walked over and sat down near her head.

"Are you okay?" He asked, beginning to run his fingers through her hair again. She slowly shook her head and continued to cry. 009 could see the growing damp spot in the sheets and the pillow; she must have been crying since he left forty-five minutes ago.

"I'm…sorry…" She finally managed to get out. She brought herself to roll over and look up at him, but then began to cry harder. "All my fault…kill me now, get it over with…"

009 lifted her head into his lap. Her hands followed to hold onto something alive, something, anything. He remembered having a feeling like this; a feeling where it felt like you were so distant from humanity that you were dead, and yet you were so close, like a ghost. But 0021 had felt the entire blow of robotics: she'd been one for nearly two hours.

He could sense how upset she was and changed to rubbing her back in a slow, circular motion. She continued to cry into his jeans.

"It's all right…" 009 whispered. "Sadie."

0021 (if possible) began crying even harder. 009 picked her up and hugged her, and her arms snaked up around him. Her head was bent so she cried into his chest and her tears fell onto his pants.

"I don't want to kill you," 009 whispered. 0021's tears calmed down a little. "None of us want to hurt you. Can you trust me about that?"

Slowly, she nodded. She placed her head into his shoulder and let her tears drain there, and let her back continue to be rubbed.

009 was really sorry for 0021. 0021 had known what was going to happen, and in her mind, everything had actually gone the way Black Ghost wanted it to. In her mind, 0099 had never come.

"Sadie…" 009 said, as if tasting it. "May I call you that, for right now?"

Another nod.

"You're fine. Nothing happened the way they wanted it to. Operation Boom and Dust was unsuccessful. We're all safe." 009 said. 0021 lifted her head again.

"You mean…?" She asked. She was too tired to do very much; it was probably from crying so much. "Stay with me…I like it when you're here…Joe."

He placed her head back down on the pillows and returned to stroking her hair. She drifted off into sleep, still in her shirt and pants from three days back. She shivered, and a comforter appeared from nowhere to cover her. Joe guessed that it was just her ability kicking in.

One final tear slid down her cheek, and Joe caught it in his hand.

_Joe…did you know that if you catch a tear you'll have good luck? _Michiko's voice asked him from the dark recesses of his childhood. He smiled at the tear in his hand.

Don't worry, I won't leave you… 

&-&-&-

"And I'll be back. Try not to hurt yourselves." Pierre said bitterly. A collapsed 0016 and 0042 lay behind him, both sporting burn marks and huge bleeding gashes. As he locked the door, 0019's face met him.

"Hey." 0019 greeted him with a casual wave. She pulled a butt out of her mouth and stuck it in an ashtray.

"It isn't like you to be out without Diana near by," Pierre noted. 0019 shrugged and walked with him down the hall. "What's wrong?"

Pierre, like most others, had learned to tell Diana and 0019 apart from the way they wore their hair, and the fact that 0019 smoked.

"Well, that's a good question. For starters, I'm pissed because Diana's all weepy again, and the fact that I have to be feeling them in my head all day long. Then there's this thing called the 'Hong Kong Experiment' that 0018, 0020 and I have to go clean up after that whole mess…" 0019 began.

"Enough of this pity-party. I can't really do anything about it. Josephine and Marco ran the HKE. Anyway, would you like to come talk with 0037?" Pierre returned. 0019 gave him a hard glare.

"Did you know?" She demanded. Pierre blinked.

"Know what? About Diana and Andrew?" Pierre asked after a minute of thought. "Oh, I knew. How else was he getting those…"

0019 slapped him. "So Diana's right. How exactly can you try and ignore her emotions like that? I mean…"

Pierre could understand 0019. Diana and Andrew were very close to one another, and it was Josephine who ordered him killed. But this was taking the Meteor Project nearly years in advance. No wonder Marco was heading with her to Central America – they were getting ready.

&-&-&-

Joe entered the infirmary three hours later. 0021 was waking up again without the waterworks. She noted his entrance and gave a loud sigh.

"Hey. How's it rocking?" Sadie asked, sitting up this time. She rubbed her eyes and stretched her arms out.

Joe smiled. "Feeling any better?"

She nodded and was able to stand. "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble…for everyone, especially Mika. I had to call everything out so fast. Have you ever felt where so much is depending on just one second of your life that you can't bear to live it any longer?"

Joe could think of nothing of the nature she was talking of. Sadie met his glare.

"And they showed me something…" She said. "It's a horrible secret. I can't just tell one person. This is dangerous. You're going to have to batten down the hatches. I'm wanted by Josephine and Alexa to be killed. And there's more…"

Joe looked at her. She was terrified. She held the keys to hell and oblivion, and could use them at any moment for any reason at all. Slowly, she kissed him. Joe was taken aback by it, but then regretted that sensation, for just as it began, she was out the door.

&-&-&-

Josephine and Marco arrived late that night to be greeted only by Alexa. Alexa was in a shockingly good mood for her – she only tossed off one insult about lint. She led them indoors, into the meeting room.

"Well, what's this all about?" Marco demanded. Andrew stepped out of hiding and received no real recognition for coming back to life.

"It's about 0021." Pierre said. "Apparently, she remembers the warehouse area. So does 0017, but she hasn't had the mental trigger yet."

"Absolutely mother-fucking beautiful. We'll wait for 0019, 0018, and 0020 to get back from the HKE site, then send them off with Diana to bring 0021 back here. We can't have a cyborg running about with that kind of information. There's years of research down there. Pierre, get a guard. You may want to have them posted soon."

Andrew was silent. Alexa whipped out her cell phone to call a squad of guards to make sure their warehouse wasn't broken into. Her voice was going in fluent Spanish as she made the call.

The warehouse was a place where all the failed experiments were kept. It was vast, and it reached out for a long way. The zero-zero cyborgs weren't the only ones to be stolen, you know. There were at least twenty prototypes _of_ the prototypes, stretching back to before the nine final prototypes were kidnapped. They were stored in pods in stasis, ages ranging from about two to eighty-nine. Both men and women were there.

And that, that was where Project Meteor was opened.

"Okay, they're posting guards right now." Alexa confirmed. "Project Meteor is now open."

&-&-&-

0021 had fallen back asleep in her own room this time. She was having an odd dream at the moment, and she wasn't feeling bad about it. Everyone was asleep with her; it was midnight.

_"Hey 0021…" Someone was calling her. "Come over here." _

_0021 was standing in a moonlight area with a cluster of weeping willow trees, near a pond of sorts. There was a girl standing near her. The girl had dark red hair that fell to her shoulders and bounced back up, violet eyes, and wore a black tank, a pair of super flare sandwashed jeans, and red sneakers._

_"No need to be scared. My name's Verita." The girl said._

_"Okay then. What am I doing here?" 0021 asked. Verita shifted her weight._

_"Well…Veritas means dreams. Verita probably is the singular form of Veritas, so I guess my name means dream. You're here because I've got something to tell ya." Verita responded._

_"And that would be?…" 0021 asked. A wind blew and lifted the sorry leaves from the trees._

_"You remember Project Meteor, right?" Verita asked. 0021 nodded. "It was originally planned to begin about four years from now, but you kinda accelerated things by remembering about the warehouse. I'm just here to warn you. Mika sent Anzu last time, so she sent me."_

_0021 just blinked at this. Verita climbed into a tree and smiled down at 0021._

_"But what's Project Meteor?" 0021 asked. Verita laughed._

_"Relax, I'm getting there." Verita said. "Project Meteor is the plan to take off into space and start humanity up there. They've been testing this for years, but Operation Boom and Dust was meant to begin it. What they weren't expecting was for the whole thing to be unsuccessful and ruin the Hong Kong Experiment, which was meant to control everything from Hong Kong. But now that they don't have all the cyborgs, they have to go into the warehouse and pick out the half-assed cyborgs. After you've done that, I'll be able to tell you more."_

0021 woke up, her heart thumping and cold sweat dripping from her entire body. She rose and dashed to the control room, almost terrified of what was waiting for her there.

&-&-&-

Diana was sound asleep when 0019 entered. 0019 smiled at her.

"Art…e…mis…?" Diana asked in her sleep. 0019's eyes widened. Diana could remember that time when they were both different, when everything had been calm.

0019 sat down on the bed and hugged the sleeping Diana. Diana whimpered a little, but 0019 cooed softly.

"It's all right, Diana," 0019 whispered. "Artemis is here."

&-&-&-

At one in the morning, nineteen people were awake and standing in the Dolphin's control room. Most were half awake, others asleep, and about three were the ones who had been piloting.

"Well, what were we dragged in here for?" 0015 asked through a yawn. 0021 stood up.

"I woke you all up. There's something that I have to say." 0021 said. It took most of her confidence to say anything at all to them.

"Well, no duh," 0017 said.

"We have to go somewhere. Right now. It could mean our destruction if we don't do it." 0021 began. "They're ticked that you ruined Operation Boom and Dust. They turned Andrew into a cyborg and they're planning to open Project Meteor. Right now, Pierre, Andrew and Marco are headed for a warehouse in Spain to retrieve some of the failed cyborgs and see what they can do. We need to beat them there."

Everyone was wide awake now. Mind you, they were in their pajamas, but then, they had a lot more to worry about.

&-&-&-

The five Scarl children sat in their meeting room, discussing Project Meteor.

"Alexa. _You_ want to do it?" Andrew asked in disbelief. "I thought for sure you'd want to bring Jessica or Raven out of stasis and have one of them take your place!"

As a matter of fact, there was a grand total of seven children. Alexa had been born as a triplet, and her two sisters, Jessica and Raven, had been placed in pods and were also stored in the warehouse. Alexa took a sip of her water.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Alexa asked. "It's just that we need a _human_ sacrifice, and they are cyborgs now. I can do it without a problem – my DNA is already coded into the systems and I know how to work the machines. Besides, it'll be our family who takes absolute power over the galaxy after that. If we sent one of the cyborgs, we'd have to share power. Unless one of you would like that, I'm willing."

Marco and Josephine exchanged glares. Alexa knew she had won.

"Andrew, Marco, Pierre, you're going to Spain. You get to pick out thirty cyborgs and we'll fix them up. Oh…and bring back Raven and Jessica."

Marco knew that Alexa was finally going to face her fate. She was going to be seven years older than her sisters, but they would still all look the same. If Alexa wanted this, then that meant that she was going to give up to Josephine. Josephine would no longer have to share with anyone. She could kill all life anywhere she pleased without the younger sisters.

"You know, you don't have forever." Josephine remarked. "I'll take over torture for today, Pierre. I need to get one last message into them before we send them off again."

&-&-&-

"If you're dragging us on a wild goose chase," 002 said to 0021. "I'm going to kill you."

0021 just turned her head away. "I'd love to see you try with that."

Spain was waiting for them ahead. 004 prepared to dock as 0043 got ready to leave. She didn't want to know what was waiting for her. For lack of other things to do, she looked down at the blue uniform with its flashy golden buttons. It was like a scar to remind her that a life-changing event occurred, and someone had ruined her death by it. Her body looked no different, but the insides had all changed.

"Let's go. We don't have much time to waste." 0021 said. She popped her head out into the misty morning and saw a pleasant little town waiting for her. There were several warehouses near by.

"003, could you see which one of these it is?" 0017 asked. 003 looked around.

"That one." 003 pointed. It looked like every other warehouse: it was gray, it was cement, and it had ample graffiti. There were a few guards milling about aimlessly, and looked rather like gorillas with machine guns.

"Let's get inside fast! I don't want to freeze out here!" 006 said. 0021 seized him by the neck and looked right into his eyes.

"Listen, you short-order cook," 0021 growled. "There's about five hundred times more at stake than you freezing. I could honestly care less right now because…just look behind you."

Before they had the chance to look, they heard gunshots. 0021 dropped 006 to get a full frontal view of Andrew, who was running toward the warehouse.

"Let's see you race!" 0043 exclaimed, grabbing 008 by his collar and entering acceleration mode to challenge Andrew. Of course, she had no idea that he was also in acceleration mode. She sped up and went for the warehouse.

&-&-&-

"Let them go now. We have no use of them." Josephine snapped to the guard at the door.

"Josephine, the cyborgs have been reported to be in Spain." Alexa said. Josephine gave her younger sister a nasty smile.

"Well then, are they ready for what Andrew can dish out to them?" Josephine asked in her all-time most evil voice. "Let them free."

&-&-&-

"Holy shit…" 0014 whispered. She was hiding behind a wall to escape one of the guards, and could have done this in no easier manner. Quite by accident, her elbow hit a switch and a door appeared.

"OVER HERE! HURRY UP!" 0017 screamed. 0014 shoved them all inside, hit the switch again, then ducked her way inside.

It was dark inside. 006 sent a trail of flame out in front of the party, and they saw a long, winding staircase leading down. 006 and 007 groaned loudly, only to be met by 0034's flames from her hands.

"You heard what she said," 0034 said, holding her hands out and starting the descent. "We'll be in deep shit if we don't get through this. Three nutcases are outside, and you can choose to go down or back out."

006 and 007 scuttled down to follow.

It was a long and narrow staircase, with varying levels in the steps. The further they went down, the more they could see a dull bluish-white light. 0034 finally reached the bottom of the stairs and nearly danced for joy.

"Finally! I was going to be claustrophobic if that lasted any longer!" 007 exclaimed. 0043 was ready to punch the other changeling if he dared enter another Shakespeare drama for them.

The look on 007's face was absolutely priceless. It appeared that he had read 0043's look perfectly and crept behind 0050 to avoid her. 0043 waved her hand and followed after 0034.

What they saw took their breaths and minds back to the world above them.

"Holy mother of Jesus," 0021 breathed. If she had any thoughts about re-joining Black Ghost again, they were completely swept away by the sight in the glow of the bluish-white room. Tears blossomed in her eyes and fell down her cheeks, and 003 wasn't very far behind. ((lessee…should I insert a 0021/003 bitch-fight scene?))

((Nope.)) "It's horrible." 004 spat. It was a dirty scene. Horrible, filthy, _bastard_.

There were at the very least, hundreds of cryogenic suspended animation stasis pods in rows in that underground room. Every single one held a human – whether that human be young or old, man or woman, boy or girl. Their faces were that of a deep sleep and their bodies were stiff, bound by metal. They had been categorized by age.

"This is it," 0021 finally said. "Now all we have to do is seal it so they can't get in."

They split up and ran up and down the aisles of pods, looking for something to open them or seal the warehouse. 0021 froze in front of one of the pods.

It was the same girl from her dream, Verita. Her hair was the same hue and reached down to her waist, and she wore the typical red and gold uniform. Except that the extra shirt was not extra: it was instead a full-length skirt that would be totally useless in battle.

0021 inspected the pod for a way to open it from the outside. As she looked at the back, she found something of interest.

_Model Number: 004  
Year captured: 1947  
Equipment: acceleration up to mach two, rockets, psychic  
Pod Number: X7350 – 4J6792 – 9AS_

"Hey! Check the back and see if you can figure anything out from there!" 0021 shouted to the others. She herself ran to see if she could find a computer.

There was a computer hooked up to the back wall. 0021 immediately sat down and overrode the security system. She brought up a few programs, then found the one she was looking for. 0034 came over to her.

"Hey. You overrode it?" 0034 asked. 0021 nodded.

"Did you find anything interesting?" 0021 returned, punching in the number she'd found on Verita's pod.

"Funny you asking. On the back, there's dates from the end of World War One. How long has Black Ghost been around?" 0034 said. They heard 003 give a little cry of shock.

"Oh my God…" 0050 said. One of the pods had opened. 0021 cracked out a large smile.

"So, we can start our own army." 0021 said. She rushed over to where the pod was now opened and saw how Verita had grown limp and was taking gasps of air. "Can you hear me, Verita? Can you open your eyes?"

"How on Earth, 0021, do you know her?" 0043 asked. "The date on the back is…"

"1947…" Verita said in a weak voice. "Isn't that the year…right now…?"

"No, it's over seventy years later," 008 said to her. "Let's get you out of there, it's probably uncomfortable."

"Hey, thanks…" Verita said, cracking her eyes open. "How did you know my name?"

0034 and 006 burned the bindings off of her arms, chest, waist and legs. Verita fell limply onto the ground and laughed at herself.

"You guys may want to check this out!" 0017 shouted. 0021 helped Verita to her feet as the others took off to see what 0017 was calling them for.

0034 rubbed her eyes to check if she wasn't dreaming. There, in two pods next to one another, looked like younger versions of Alexa. They were identical, right down to their cropped black hair.

"Read them." 0017 ordered. 0050 bent down.

"Raven Scarl. Jessica Scarl. Only to be opened during Project Meteor. What the hell?" 0050 read. "Does this mean that there are seven? And what is 'Project Meteor'?"

"We'll discuss that once we're out of here!" 0021 called. "I've sealed this place! No one can get in, but we have to get out!"

"If it's sealed, then how are we supposed to get out?" 002 demanded.

"Easy," Verita said. She held a hand out in front of her and a swirling blue vortex appeared on the wall. "It'll take you to the surface, I promise you."

0014 placed a leg through, then put her entire body through. The rest followed suit, and 0021 and Verita brought up the rear. Upon being out in fresh air again, she gave a cheer and closed the portal.

&-&-&-

"What the hell do you mean, you can't get in?" Alexa demanded. "Have Andrew punch the wall in!"

"We tried that, moron. It's sealed from the inside." Pierre remarked snidely. "We're coming back. Have you released 0042 and 0016?"

"Yes, Josephine did about three hours ago. The cyborgs should be finding them soon." Alexa replied. "Get back here and we'll see what we can do. You have visitors."

&-&-&-

"Thank you very much, 006." Verita said. She placed the cup back onto its coaster and leaned back onto the couch. "I think that's the first thing I've had to drink in more than seventy years."

"About that portal," 004 asked. "How did you create it?"

Verita smiled widely at him. "I was born with psychic abilities. Black Ghost attempted to try and corner them, but was unsuccessful. Just take a look at me: I'm probably the earliest thing you'll find in that place, the earliest of cyborg technology."

She took another long sip of tea. She folded her hands in her lap. She even went as far as to meet the glances around the room.

"It's not that strange," Verita said finally. "I have hinges on my legs, elbows, fingers, and ankles, and a depressing attempt at rockets in my feet. There's what they called a 'mach switch' which allowed me to run for three seconds at mach two. God only knows what would happen if I tried either stunt again. It's kind of a long story."

She let out a long sigh. "Okay, be that way. I'll show you something."

Verita looked fixedly at the teacup. After, maybe five seconds, it lifted from the coaster and splintered into hundreds of pieces. Verita looked at one piece, and suddenly, the tea flew off the ground and the pieces formed the cup again.

"Good enough?" Verita asked. 007 clapped for her.

002 stood up and slipped from the room. 0014 sprang up and followed after him.

"What's eating you, Jet?" 0014 asked, inviting herself for a piggyback ride. "Ever since we met 0099 you've been quieter. Is something wrong?"

002 looked into the amethyst eyes. "Tiz…it's just easier not to explain."

0014 jumped off his back as the control room doors opened.

"HOLY FUCKING GOD!"

&-&-&-

"We need to re…" Pierre began. Before he could finish his sentence, 0019 cut him off.

"What we need to do first is break into the warehouse. I have this funny feeling that they sealed it and that they are planning on stealing our fucking army from us. Okay, who's with Diana and I?" 0019 said.

"Damn it, 0019," Diana complained. "Quiet down! My headache is bad enough without you yelling!"

"Diana's right. We shouldn't yell about something so stupid," 0020 said from her chair, filing her nails. "Let's just go get 0021, wipe her memory clean and let her back out."

0020 turned her hand to admire the nail filing she'd just finished. 0018 muttered something under his breath about women, then reclined in his chair.

"My idea is to wait until they've recovered 0042 and 0016, then send Diana and 0019 to obtain 0021. We clean her memory, maybe keep her, or send her back if she's worthless to us." 0018 said. "Are you sure that you're okay, Diana? You sound like shit."

"I'm touched," Diana said through her sweatshirt. Truth was, she'd rather be asleep in her bed right now, but there were other things more important. 0018 watched her with his piercing eyes.

"Let Diana stay here and rest," He said at last. "It's apparent that she's ill. 0019, we may be able to cover this without you. Stay here with Diana and make sure she doesn't try to follow us. Andrew, Pierre; 0018 and I will leave."

"Hang on." Pierre said. "0061, 0037 and 0049 will come with you."

"Come along, little Diana," Andrew joked. "I'll get you into your bed if it's the last thing I do."

&-&-&-

"But WHAT HAPPENED?" 0017 asked 0014 for the millionth time.

"Look, she has no fucking clue. Just get them out of the fucking water and we can go from there." 0043 said. 0021 came in, saw two bodies on the water, then in an instant, they were at her feet. The two that had just been transported on wore blue uniforms with the gold cape and buttons. They also happened to be a much worse for the wear 0016 and 0042. 0017 gave a blood-curdling scream and bolted.

"You fucking bastard," 0016 muttered. "You come near me again and I'll kill you."

"0016, are you sure you want to do that?" 0015 asked. "We aren't who you think we are. We're your friends, remember?"

0016 stood up and looked into 0015's eyes. 0015 drew her sword.

"Pierre, I warned you," 0016 said through gritted teeth. But before she could warm up her hands, she fell back to the ground.

"0042's out cold. 0050, let's get them to the infirmary." 0021 said. Verita looked on from her empty teacup, scared to move. She pulled her hair back from her face and cleared the vision from the cup.

_The visions of the end of the world…I wonder, will they come true?_ Verita asked herself as she stood up to find the kitchen. She sighed deeply as if something were going on that no one but she understood.

"However crazy I sound when I say this," 0017 said, laying a hand on Verita's shoulder, "You look tired. Why don't you sleep on the couch? Nothing exciting will happen without you, I promise!"

Verita smiled. "At least, let me wash this out."

0017 returned to the control room to take over for 0034. Verita continued on her search for the kitchen. She stopped before she walked in to see 002 holding 0014 in a kissing position. In her time, that was considered to be a dirty scheme. They eventually broke apart, and as they moved to leave, Verita concentrated on becoming invisible. The two passed her without notice.

Verita swept through the kitchen and rinsed the cup clean. She placed it upside-down on the counter because she couldn't find a dish rack. Silently, she walked back to the living room type place and fell asleep on the couch without another thought.

&-&-&-

"Not sick!" Diana argued. Andrew wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"If you weren't sick, would you be tired?" Andrew asked her. Diana managed to curl up into him. "See how much better it'll be if you just sleep and let us take care of you?"

Andrew understood how Pierre had felt with his girlfriend now. Pierre had had one of the cyborgs as a girlfriend a while in the past. Andrew was almost positive that it had been 0050.

"Just don't leave me again," Diana managed to get out before unconsciousness claimed her as its own. 0019 came in from outside the room.

"Good job." 0019 congratulated him. "Hey, wanna come play DDR with me? I usually play with Diana, but in cases like this…"

Diana broke into a riotous coughing fit. Andrew rubbed her back in a gentle motion.

"I'll stay here," Andrew replied. 0019 sat down next to him.

"I think she understands you," 0019 said to him.

&-&-&-

_"Yo…0017, right?" Verita asked her. 0017 looked thoroughly miffed._

_"Verita? What happened to you?" 0017 asked. Verita had short hair and wore normal clothes from the present time._

_"No time to explain right now. What's important is that I deliver this message." Verita replied._

_0017 looked puzzled. "Okay, sure, I'll take the message."_

_Verita clapped her hands together. "You have to go to the exact location that they found you in Kanagawa. It's really important because they're planning on sending 0018 and 0020 there next. Careful not to let me go – I'm the one they're after. Late last night, a combo of 0049, 0037 and 0020 busted through the seal and found out I'm missing. So they're going to use reverse methodism to haul you back in. Also watch out not to attack 0037 because if she's hurt, 0049 launches into an unbeatable attack."_

_Some of 0017's confusion cleared up. "Kanagawa, and step on it. Got it. But are you Verita, the same Verita who's asleep on our couch right now?"_

_Verita laughed. "Something along those lines. All in due time, you will all reach the world's end and Project Meteor. Black Ghost is unaware of the end of the world, so he will not understand. You'll understand more later. It's Generation Zero – the generation that found itself and created itself. Verita and I are part of it."_

_All of 0017's confusion reappeared. Verita smiled and climbed into a tree._

_"Right now, Anya, you need to **wake up**!" Verita exclaimed_.

0017's eyes snapped open. She saw 0021 asleep across from her and a watery beam of moonlight through the tiny window.

_Control room. Alert them._

0017 didn't have time to think. Her feet moved themselves. 0050, 009, 008 and 004 were piloting at the moment. 0050 turned at her entrance.

"Hey, 0017. What's wrong?" 0050 asked. "Your shift isn't until tomorrow afternoon."

"Kanagawa. Right now." 0017 managed. 0050 had her turn at confusion.

"But why?"

"I had this creepy dream with Verita. She told me to go to the exact spot in Kanagawa that I was found in, because they're trying to pull us back in. Dude, I swear, it was real as real can get. I'll wake 0021 up if I have to." 0017 answered. She had caught the other's attention. 0050 closed her eyes.

"KANAGAWA!" She thundered. There was a brilliant flash of purple light, then 0017 could see twinkling yellow lights below her feet. "009, 004, go with her and find the spot. 0017, you should automatically be drawn toward the spot. If what you say is true, then we could all be in deep shit."

They left the Dolphin, leaving 0050 on guard. 009 and 004 followed 0017's lead. She was able to jump some of the taller buildings, and after about ten minutes, they came to the spot.

"Okay. Just hide." 0017 ordered.

_That's right. They'll be here any minute now._ Verita's voice told her. _All you have to do is be there and it'll cancel the effect instantly. Right now, Just stay hidden._

Sure enough, 0018 and 0020 showed up about five seconds later. 0020 got a little peeved, called on a cell phone, then dragged 0018 away. 0017 was too scared to hear the conversation that passed.

_**Epona **thinks you did a good job. That's quite a compliment!_ Verita complimented. This time, 009 looked 0017 straight on.

"Why are you talking with Verita?" 009 asked. Modern Verita appeared next to him.

"I am communicating through a dream link right now. My name, begging your pardon, is not Verita. It is In Somnis Veritas. I need to return now, Epona and the crew will wonder what happened. We'll meet again soon enough. Back to the Dolphin." Verita said.

They were standing near 0050 in the control room. She jumped backward when she saw them back so soon.

"Whoa! That was fast!" 0050 exclaimed. "Well, if you're done, we can always see if anything's wrong around in Japan."

&-&-&-

"Well now, this is an interesting turn," A girl with short, dark red hair said. "It'll be coming to us soon. The hands of fate are turning against us. Black Ghost will learn how horrible it is to have your own…"

"ISV, pipe down." Another girl said. "Akio and Rona have the gate covered. I doubt that Verita will be with them when they arrive. But if Verita does arrive, we will have to explain. We cannot continue to hide."

"That's right, Somnis." A male said. The red-haired girl made a face at him, for only he still called her Somnis. "You've already delivered the central message to them. But right now, they need to discover his one last escape. We will all need to be ready to accept Omnes Verita again."

"The hands of fate are long, and our destinies were written by them." A final girl noted. "Black Ghost has initiated the beginning of Project Meteor. We must be prepared to accept our fates. Akio and Rona can't protect us forever."

&-&-&-&-

I hope you're good with dead languages! The climax will be here soon, and we'll find out who these people are! Generation Zero is a puzzle! It is amazing, yes it is, how much can change over a single chapter. And who exactly is Verita? Is she friend or foe? The translation of the names from last chapter and the meaning was –

_Mika_ – new moon. When there was no moon, this is the symbol.  
_Ruri_ – emerald. The sky. Enough said.  
_Anzu_ – apricot. See the next.  
_Anthay_ – loosely translated, rose. The apricot rose is symbolistic of 0099's real name.  
_Sora_ – sky. Well, what the hell else do I need to tell you?  
_Hoshi_ – star. With all the stars booming out across the fracking sky, this completes Sora's name.  
Our name translations: Mika Ruri – Emerald New Moon  
Anzu Anthay – Apricot Rose  
Sora Hoshi – Starry Sky  
**ALL ARE JAPANESE NAMES!**

((Mika whaps 0017 upside the head))

0017: Well, dammit, you just pawned this off on me! ((What's the Justice? CN version plays in background)) I'm 0017, a member of the Dolphin crew. In the next chapter of D.S. al Coda, Exponents and Factorials, we find out a startling truth about Verita and her connections with the Black Ghost. Who is the dream Verita who has contacted two of us now? What does she want? Who or what is Generation Zero? Tune in next time to find out! HAPPY NOW?


	8. Exponents and Factorials

((sigh)) I hope I don't get killed for putting one line of the song Bumblebee at the start of this chapter. ((kicks 002)) MUCH BETTER! In this chapter, the plot takes an insane turn (**insane, yes**), the second phase of Project Meteor goes underway, and more people have dreams with In Somnis Veritas. This chapter also opens a huge window for what part of the meaning of capturing ten new cyborgs was! Fun on a bun and a bag of chips, is it not?

I don't own the DDR song Bumblebee, or DDR for that matter. I don't own Cyborg 009, but I own all the weird people that show up in dreams! Most of them are Shattered Rainbow characters! I do happen to own all of Shattered Rainbow. I also own Alexa, Raven, Jessica, Andrew, Pierre, Marco and Josephine! Evil math geniuses own exponents and factorials!

&-&-&-

D.S. al Coda

Chapter Eight: Exponents and Factorials

&-&-&-&-

"I go 'boom boom boom' you go 'zoom zoom zoom!'" The television sang happily. 0021 and 0050 stomped the beat out on the Dance Dance Revolution floor mats. It was their third straight hour, and it was nine at night.

Finally, 0050 turned the game off. Both girls were happy for the break. 009 came in and saw two girls fall onto the couch.

"0021, 0050, what happened to you two?" He asked, frightened. 0021 sat up and pointed a finger at the floor mats. "Again?"

"Whoa, I never knew dancing could take that much out of ya," 0042 commented. She finished combing her hair out, then noticed the odd glances she was getting. "What? I can comb my fucking hair if I want to! And I can take a shower!"

0050 stood up. "I should hope that you can."

&-&-&-

"Diana? Answer if you can." Andrew said, nudging Diana gently into wakefulness. Her bright blue eyes opened.

"My cousin…the rift is getting closer…" Diana said, still fumbling to throw off the temptress of sleep. Andrew assumed that she was still dreaming.

"May I take your temperature?" He asked. She nodded and gave way once more to the temptress. He proceeded to do just that.

"It's Andrew. I'm so surprised." 0019 said sarcastically. Andrew nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw her standing in the doorway.

"Take ten years off my life while you're fucking at it," He mumbled.

&-&-&-

"Your name is 002…or do you prefer Jet?" The modern Verita asked. 002 was standing in a clearing of a forest with a small shrine at its heart. Verita had her short hair and modern clothes on.

"_002," 002 snapped back. Verita smiled._

"_You get the next message, aren't you lucky?" Verita asked. She walked over toward the shrine. 002 followed her._

"_Who are you, and why am I here?" 002 demanded. Verita turned to look at him._

"_I am In Somnis Veritas, and you are in a dimensional projection of my home." Verita replied. "May I tell you the message now?"_

_002 was lost for words. Verita climbed up on the shrine._

"_Black Ghost is moving onto the second phase of Project Meteor. This will take place in Antarctica in two days' time. You will encounter 0049, 0037, 0061, and Josephine there. They will ask if you wish to die. Answer 'sure, why the hell not?' and fight them. Send 0050 to disarm the series of bombs they planted; she'll be familiar with the technology they used. **You** need to aim for 0061, and make sure you fire on needle setting and shoot her in the right arm. Follow through with that, 'kay?" Verita said. _

"_Why are you telling me this?" 002 asked her. Again, she turned to face him._

"_In due time, you'll meet me. Until then, you need to **wake up!**"_

002 found himself in his own bed, lying across from 009. There was no forest, no shrine, no crazy girls.

Who're you calling crazy? Go, you need to alert them! Well, unless you want a world controlled by Josephine, you don't need to. But that's your choice.

So that hadn't been just a dream?

My name means "In dreams there is truth".

002 stood up. So it had been a dream, but apparently these events were really going to happen? He walked out of the room and down the hall.

His feet led him to the kitchen. 0015 was leaning back in a chair, thoughtfully drinking a glass of some blue liquid. She saw 002 enter and waved.

"It's two in the morning. What's your excuse?" 0015 asked. 002 noticed that Soul Eater was shining in the glow of the oven light next to her.

"Weird dreams," He grunted. 0015 shrugged and took a swallow.

"Want some Gatorade?" She offered, pointing her finger at a large jug of the stuff. H warily eyed her. "Oh, for goodness sakes, I did not poison it. 0021 decided not to, and I doubt 0043 would do something so forward. So, it should be safe."

002 picked it up. If none of the girls wanted to poison him, then Gatorade seemed safe to drink. He pulled a glass out of the cupboard, keeping an eye on Soul Eater. 0015 continued to sip and seemed uninterested in him. This changed, however, once he sat down.

"Tell me about this dream," 0015 ordered.

002 rocked back in the chair with his feet on the table. 0015 fingered her sword, then eyed 002 once more.

"Okay, don't tell me. I'll figure it out my own." 0015 snapped back at him, swinging her sword around her back, placing the glass in the sink.

"Hang on a second." 002 said. "We need to go to Antarctica."

0015 turned and gave him a shadow of a grin. "Well then, let's go."

&-&-&-

"You need to relax."

"_I_ NEED TO RELAX?"

"FYI, ISV, you really need to calm down. There's no need to overreact – Project Meteor has hardly opened yet. We're safe up here, remember? We installed one-way glass! Wait, I'm just kidding, Panthos."

"Nice one just the same, Omega. Somnis, you should just have a natural sleep tonight instead of sending out waves. It'll come soon enough. Fate wrote it to be this way."

"Panthos, I did not do that for you."

"Fate, I was teasing you."

"Panthos, you are the world's biggest prat. Not even Poseidon, Epsilon, and Kronos put together come close to you. I'm gonna stay up. Epona, Fate, Omega, Pandora, I'll take watch tonight. Verita is still asleep."

"Just remember: one way glass."

&-&-&-

"Hey, why are we here?" 0050 asked upon blundering into the control room in the early morning. 0015 was piloting with Soul Eater sitting next to her against the seat. "This is the Antarctic Circle!"

"Well, we'll make the story as short as I had it and say 002 had a premonition dream like 0017 did." 0015 replied. "Apparently, in another day, the second phase of Project Meteor is supposed to occur."

"Good morning," 0034 said. "I've always wanted to wake up and see white and dark blue-gray all around me. What event is it?"

She bounded down to where 0015 sat at the controls. 0015 turned.

"You can help land." 0015 said. 0034 sat down and picked up the gist of this venture fairly quick. Verita walked in.

"Whoa! Why is everyone in here?" Verita asked.

"It's a long story," 0034 said. Her primary focus was on landing on the ice.

"Verita," 0015 began. "Do you have any other special ability aside from being a natural psychic? Such as communicating through dreams?"

Verita frowned. "No. But I do know someone from a very long time ago who could do something like that…"

"Who was it?"

"She's dead now."

0015 sighed and stood up, for landing was successful. "Another dead end. If anyone else…wait, 0021 had a dream like this, didn't she?"

0015 left to find her double. 0021 was bouncing her head up and down, walking down a hall, and managed to walk head-first into 0015.

"0021, you had a dream with Verita, correct?" 0015 asked. 0021 turned her headphones off and 0015 repeated the question.

"Yes. Except the Verita from my dream wore a black tank top, light blue jeans, red sneakers, and her hair was short. Our Verita is so…old-school!" 0021 replied. 0015's face looked as if the sun had come out as she realized.

"They're two completely different people!" 0015 exclaimed. 0021's face brightened.

&-&-&-

"What do you mean, it didn't work?" Alexa demanded of 0018.

"It wouldn't work. We were at the exact spot and we could not use the reverse." 0018 replied. Alexa's face twisted into rage.

"DAMN IT!" She shouted. "She fucking knew it!"

"But how, my dear sister, did she know?" Pierre asked. "There's no one but us twelve that knew it was going to happen. Diana couldn't have told anyone, she's too sick to move a foot from her bed. 0019 and Andrew have been with her the whole time, and none of us would tell."

"Diana's distant cousin," Marco suggested. "Her name was Verita, or something like that. I remember Diana telling me that a long time ago. But this Verita died about sixty years ago, and Diana only heard stories about her from her mother. Diana was told one day that 'Verita' meant 'dream', and Verita could communicate through dreams."

"Your point is?…" Alexa demanded, her temper straining.

"What if Verita were still alive and communicating to the cyborgs?" Marco cut to the chase. Alexa reclined in thought.

"Wake Diana up." Alexa concluded.

"Don't do that." Andrew said from the doorway. "She just fell back asleep after puking her guts out for half the night. Her voice is completely gone and she's running a fever."

"Who cares?" Alexa blew the comments off.

"Listen, Alexa." Andrew said. "You're not the baby any longer. We have Jessica and Raven back now, and Josephine needs to get through this phase of Project Meteor. We have no time for your fucking around right now."

"I second that," 0019 said. "I thought we buried Verita in the warehouse. But, of course, I'm not supposed to be here. I'll be leaving for Diana again."

"Wait a minute." Alexa ordered. "I know what's going on. I know that I'm sixteen now and that I'm not the princess any longer."

Andrew shifted his weight. "I'm going to go back up to Diana. I'm not going to give any orders because right now we should be more concerned about revitalizing Raven and Jessica, and Diana's recovery."

He left with 0019, leaving Alexa to silently fume.

They reached Diana's door, 0019 entered the code, and they stepped in. Diana was twisting and turning in the grasp of a nightmare monster and moaning softly. Andrew nearly toppled over when he saw 0019 sit down and caress Diana. Diana's eyelids parted to reveal the tired, glassy blue eyes.

"I feel like shit," Diana whispered.

"No offense, but you look it." 0019 replied. "Do you feel like you could eat anything?"

Diana slowly shook her head. She turned her head on the pillow and drifted back into an uneasy slumber. 0019 gently pulled Diana's hair up into a ponytail and tied it. Andrew was shocked out of his mind that 0019 could be civil. Every time he saw her, she was protecting Diana, fighting, smoking, or calling and cursing someone.

As Diana's back arched in a coughing fit, 0019 held to her sister and talked softly into her ear. Andrew left the two together alone.

&-&-&-

"What card am I holding up?" 0021 asked Verita.

"Ace of Clubs, and the next one will be the seven of hearts." Verita answered. "I'm bored with this."

0021 had already outfitted Verita in a normal cyborg uniform. Verita looked bored out of her mind, having to predict cards for entertainment. Of course, every once in a while, they went in to check the radar, but nothing ever came up.

0015 yawned loudly. "There's nothing to do. I've beaten Kingdom Hearts twelve times now and it's too boring. Isn't there anything interesting we could do?"

0021 shook her head. "I'm all out of ideas."

At a distance, they heard the whine of the vacuum cleaner. 0021 craned her neck back to see 0017 cleaning. 0017 was absentmindedly humming a slow tune, and would occasionally spin the vacuum in the rhythm.

"0015, I have something to tell you." Verita said. "My mother had a cousin named Diana. I remember you talking about Diana, so…"

0015 placed a finger to her chin. "Diana…Di-an-a. THAT'S IT!"

"WHOA! WHAT'S UP WITH THAT!" 0017 exclaimed, bumping into the wall with 0015's shouts. "What did you suddenly figure out?"

"Diana is Verita's cousin!" 0015 said in a rush. "Holy crap…"

"Damn straight!" 0021 exclaimed. She, too, was shocked by this revolution.

&-&-&-

"Pandora."

"I'm still here. Why would I run away?"

"Poseidon, Kronos, Panthos, for starters."

"But my box; I still have to protect it."

"I have something to tell you!"

"Okay, Omega. Tell me."

"Fate and I…it's coming sooner than we thought it would. Some jerk figured out that we were still alive and functional, and Black Ghost is going to complete phase three then move on the Ultimate Stage. According to Mika, this means that a really soon chapter will be the absolute climax. But that's just an added bonus."

"I wonder if they'll have them with them…"

"You don't need to worry yet. Before they can even see us, they have to defeat Akio and Rona. They're no easy task, let me tell you. I still have that black and blue mark."

"Omega…do you think Black Ghost wants us to try and do to us what he did to Apollo, Atlas and the others? Or do you think that he's found the pure soul to open the box?"

"Neither. He just wants us to mind wipe us and get us to work for him."

&-&-&-

"I am more bored than I have ever been." 0017 concluded. The floors shone like mirrors, you could eat off the ceiling, and dust had been warded off for good. It was their second day in Antarctica and the tension was mounting to see if 002 had been correct.

"GET OFF YER ASS AND COME HELP US, THEN!" 0042 shouted. The group in the living room jumped up and ran outside.

The lady of the snow was a beautiful woman, but only to those who could look onto her beauty with unshielded eyes. Her white gown flowed out and threatened to blind. The veil was scrunched and flexed long, and her white hair fanned behind her. At that moment, she lifted her veil to peek at the world and allowed 0017 to see the beauty of the snow.

But at the same moment, 0037 fired openly for 0017.

"Please, kids, if you hold up your hands at home when at least thirty bullets are speeding toward you, you will _not_ suddenly be protected by magnetism. Instead you will be killed." 0015 said cynically. 0017 laughed, pulled out her hammer, and freed a missile for 0037.

"Welcome to the second phase of Project Meteor," Josephine's cruel voice cut through the landscape like a knife.

&-&-&-

"WHAT?" 0019 screamed as she ran down into a solo jet. She flipped the hatch open and jumped in. "Damn her! She's going for phase two!"

Andrew jumped into another jet and they prepared to fly out. The two pulled their headsets on to continue the conversation as they flew from Japan to Antarctica.

"What I mean, 0019, is that Diana took off for phase two about four hours ago. You can probably reach her through these radios…in theory." Andrew's static-riddled voice said.

"I can hear you, you know." Diana's hoarse voice crackled through their ears. "Listen, 0019. I'm not a baby. I know I may be your younger twin and all, but I'm old enough to take care of myself."

0019 sighed. She knew Diana was right.

"How close are you?" Andrew asked.

"Maybe twenty minutes at top speed. You two have acceleration switches, right? Why not use those and get here a little faster?" Diana replied. 0019 followed her directions and Andrew was not far after.

They saw Diana sitting in her jet, circling and preparing to land on 0049's signal. She turned her head and saw Andrew and 0019 next to her.

0049 gave the signal.

This meant that someone far off had been wrong.

&-&-&-

"I'M GOING!"

"As you wish, ISV…but this only means that we'll have less protection when they finally arrive. Are you sure?"

"I don't care. Omega and Fate were wrong. They're taking this too fast!"

"As Panthos would tell you, break a leg, an arm, and the other limbs while you're at it. But then again…go ahead and break your neck!"

"Kronos, shut up."

&-&-&-

"We're going to kill you right here, are you afraid yet?" 0061 asked blankly. Her purple hair flew in a breeze. Two figures darted around behind her to stand on either side of her.

Today, Diana and 0019 were perfectly distinguishable. Diana wore her hair over her left eye, but instead of a tank top and sandals, wore a V-neck with belled sleeves and a pair of high black Skechers. Altogether, she was too pale. 0019, on the other hand, wore her usual and looked furious.

"BEGIN PHASE TWO!" 0049 shouted.

No one had any clue what to do. 0019 and Diana began snaking in opposite directions and crossing paths.

"YOU IDIOT, 002!" A familiar voice shouted. It was Verita, and she was standing next to…herself? "I give you specific directions and _what _do you do? BULL SHIT!"

002 looked from Verita to Verita. One had short hair; one had long. One wore a tank top and jeans; the other wore a red uniform and boots. Both had glittering purple eyes. Both had dark red hair. One wore an expression of anger, the other of interest.

The Verita with short hair walked over to him and gave him a hard slap. "Next time I give directions, follow them! My God!"

"Ummm…not to be rude or anything…but who are you?" 0014 asked. The Verita that had just slapped 002 turned around.

"I am In Somnis Veritas, and I come from the end of the world. I'm here because this _moron _decided not to follow my instructions. 0050, accelerate at mach seven toward that ship in the distance. On board, you'll find twelve bombs. Disarm them all." Verita said. She turned to the other Verita. "I know it's sudden, Verita, but we have to…"

"I know, ISV." Verita replied. "NOW GO, GOD DAMN IT!"

0050 clicked her back tooth and flew toward the ship. 0042 gave her best attempt to try and stop 0019 and Diana by cracking the ice. But it didn't work. The two just kept going, right across the blue-gray water. The two Veritas shifted their heads to look at one another at the exact same time and managed to even give a nod at the same time. The two began mimicking 0019 and Diana.

"What in hell is going on?" 0043 wondered aloud.

"HOLY FUCK!" 0015 exclaimed.

The two pairs stopped. They stood parallel to one another. As if getting ready to perform an act, each set turned to face their double and extended their hands. Josephine watched. She understood when 0019 and Diana were doing. Though she had only seen it once, it was something worth remembering.

&-&-&-

0050 stopped. She jumped into a smaller version of the Dolphin and instantly set out for finding bombs. She looked in every room, and in the last one, found them. She knew this technology like the back of her hand. Laughing, 0050 disarmed the dozen bombs in less than five minutes.

She stood and looked up out of a window.

"Oh my…"

&-&-&-

There wasn't a person who was lost for words. Diana was draped in a long white gown, held at her waist by a golden circlet. Golden bands laced up and down her slender arms , and a bracelet around her left wrist contained diamonds. Her hair was held back by a golden crown, and both of the stunning blue eyes were visible. A single braid ran down the left side of her head and was held by a golden moon-shaped bead.

0019 looked nearly the same, with the exception of all the left side accessories were swapped to the right. Both girls held one hand of the other, and it was the hand with the bracelet on it.

"She can do the pom-pom, she can do the fucking twist, but I'll bet you five hundred dollars she can't do this," 0043 remarked. 0050 appeared next to her. "Did you get the bombs?"

"Yeah," 0050 replied, cracking her fingers. "What's the fancy stuff for?"

From 0019 and Diana's hands sprung a blazing blue light. Both the Verita looked fairly calm. Just as the light was about to engulf them, they grabbed hands.

"Your power cannot equal ours," Verita said.

"Okay, someone needs to explain what the hell is going on," 0042 said. All were at a loss for words, even Josephine.

The ice flew back up over them. 0019 and Diana stood, unfazed, and they released one another's hands. The long-haired Verita and Diana walked to one another.

"Diana."

"Omnes Verita."

"Generation Zero has returned to Earth. Your brining of Project Meteor will bring the end only closer."

"I no longer care. I belong to them now…this happened so long ago, seventy years. And your little name doesn't scare us." Diana turned to face her counterpart. "Artemis, set it off."

"ISV, GO!"

At this point, no one knew what was going on. 0015 knew only that the four were cousins. 0021 knew that Diana and Artemis were the same goddess, except Diana was from Roman mythology and Artemis was from Greek mythology. A brilliant blast of purple light interrupted everyone's thoughts.

"Why didn't the bombs go off?" 0037 asked nervously. They all knew what the answer was, but none wanted to say it.

"God fucking damn it all." Josephine cursed. "ANDREW!"

Andrew appeared out of pure nowhere. He knew that he could disobey his sister and actually die this time, or could obey. So he stood next to her.

"Phase two has failed. You'll have to alert the others. Raven and Jessica will need to travel to the first base tonight or tomorrow. It's not going to be long until the Ultimate Stage, and since this has failed, phase three will require everyone." Josephine told him.

This evidently meant that Raven and Jessica were awake once more. It also meant that they were jumping to phase six by sending them up, and in completing phase three, they would be able to then trigger what they needed to. All the meteors would be drawn toward Earth, and since many contained metals, there were stations set up to draw them in. With that, they would pummel Earth and leave it completely useless. There would need to be a human sacrifice to symbolize life and what wanted power so badly that it was willing to kill itself in the process. Alexa had volunteered for the job. Josephine was taking the mask. Josephine would be able to hold the power of the Gods. Josephine could do whatever she wanted. The universe would be her playground and she would never have to share.

All that could stop them now was Pandora's Box.

"DIANA! 0019!" Andrew called. "UNSUCCESSFUL!"

The two instantly were redressed in their ordinary clothes. Diana fainted into 0019's arms, and 0019 carried her back to Josephine's ship. Andrew gave them one last glance, then vanished into his jet.

"002, next time I tell you do anything, I'm not telling you." The modern Verita said. "I'll be seeing you all very soon. They're moving things forward by about ten years."

"How are we going to be able to find the end of the world?" 0014 demanded.

"You will," Verita replied. "OV might be able to guide you off her memory."

"OV?" 0014 asked.

"Omnes Verita. My sister's name." Verita answered. "They're going to kill me if I'm not back soon. Look, I'll answer all your questions later. We will meet again, I swear on Panthos's life."

She vanished. 007 sighed.

"Another lady gone before I could even introduce myself," He mourned. 0015 just walked back into the Dolphin.

_If Verita has a sister…and I already know that 0019 and Diana are sisters. They're obviously cousins. But what is Generation Zero?_

"I'll get you to where you can find the end of the world. But you need to fight Akio and Rona by yourselves." Verita said, entering the Dolphin. "Akio and Rona are the guardians to the end of the world. The only way to get there…is by going through them and fighting them."

"You're navigating," 0017 said.

&-&-&-&-

WICKED AWESOME CHAPTER! It only took me half of forever, but here it is!

Wonderful plot turns…and the mention of possibly the most important thing in this story! Next chapter will be meeting Raven and Jessica, sending them off into space, preparing for Alexa's death, traveling to the end of the world, fighting Akio and Rona, then a cliffie into the CLIMAX! SO WATCH OUT FOR CHAPTER TEN, PEEPS!


	9. Over the Break

This chapter may be a little short. My bad! It's the chapter just before we go into the Ultimate Stage of Project Meteor, which will be all-out war. We'll also be meeting Generation Zero next chapter (though you have already seen them…)! It gets very fun this chapter with a battle with the famed Akio and Rona!

We also bring forth the fantasy portion of this story in this wonderful chapter! I am such an addict to fantasy stories…I'M ON FUCKING DRUGS! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!

I hope you've figured out what I do and don't own by this time….

&-&-&-

D.S. al Coda

Chapter Nine: Over the Break

&-&-&-&-

"What's the end of the world?" 0017 blurted out. Verita shifted her weight.

"I'm not sure." She answered forwardly. "I've never really been there. I know how to get there, but I've never really _been_ to the end of the world."

She thrust a finger forward. "That waterfall. Go through it."

008 awkwardly changed the Dolphin's direction to pass through the wide falls.

"Just keep going straight. In about an hour, I'll tell you what to do next."

&-&-&-

A pair of sharp, stone-gray eyes looked around. The saw a white room, and as they looked down, they took in their black clothes.

"Raven," Pierre dared breath. The eyes' owner looked at her brother. Odd, the last time she had seen him, he had been at least seven years younger. He was much taller now, and had a look of evilness that he hadn't carried before. Next to him stood a much older Josephine. She had grown her hair so much, and her face was growing to become more adult-like.

The girl batted her eyelashes once. She was a much prettier version of Alexa, even though they were identical. Alexa's gray eyes had faded to a stone color and her face had worn into harshness. This girl, Raven, was still the pretty young nine-year-old Alexa had once been. Her mind was untainted by the realities that her family bore.

"Pierre, Josephine," Raven asked, puzzled. "I fell asleep only…ten hours ago, right? What's going on?"

Pierre sat down next to his sister. "It's a very long story, Raven. You see…you've been asleep for the last seven years. We woke you up so you could help us."

Raven curled herself up with her knees to her chest. "Project Meteor, right?"

Pierre did a double take. How did this…child, for lack of a better word, know? Alexa was too young to know about it, and Jessica was in the exact same state.

"You told me right before I fell asleep." Raven answered, as if reading his mind. "I can remember."

&-&-&-

The area behind the waterfall was sparkling with crystals. Many were precious stones, and some weren't even Earth elements.

"Verita…what's going on?" 0017 asked, craning her neck back to look at the other girl.

"We've been transported off Earth. We're getting close." Verita replied lazily. She was dozing off. "When you see two people, stop…"

"This is definitely interesting, Verita." 0015 commented. "We suddenly got swept off Earth…how long ago?"

"When you passed through the cave where the walls were water…" Verita said. Her eyelids closed.

0017 gasped.

For before them was a dazzling sight to behold. It was like a city with whimsical spires that flew up into the heavens and sparkling towers. Most of the buildings were made from rubies, diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, aquamarines, peridots, and other such glass-like gemstones. The spires were constructed from silver and gold, and many of their tops flagged an orb of some gemstone. The ground was solid glass. Everything was glittering majestically in the bright beams of moonlight. ((FYI, this is on my English binder right now...everyone likes to read it...strange people...))

But, in front of it all sat a simple, regular-sized, wooden door. Sitting next to it on either side were two people.

The person on the right was a female. She had wavy, waist-length coffee bean-brown hair and eyes of the same shade. Her skin was tanned royally. As a headband to restrain the strands of hair, she wore a golden tiara adorned with a single ruby in its heart. She wore a long-sleeved emerald green dress with gold trim, and the skirt was full and long. The neck scooped down in a low V-shape and was lined with gold. Her sleeves were held at her elbows by golden bands, and then fell the rest of her way to cover her fingertips. They saw a golden bracelet inlaid with rubies around her left wrist. Around her neck hung a golden chain with a ruby star at the end. Her shoes – nearly hidden by her dress – were golden high heels.

On the left was a boy. He wore a pale green tuxedo. His hair was the same color as the girl's was, but his eyes were a calm shade of green. He could have passed for her sister. Around his head was a golden circlet, with an emerald at the center of his forehead. His tie was bottle green and his shirt was a regular white button down one. On his feet were ordinary black dress shoes. He wore on his right index finger a golden ring inlaid with a ruby.

008 and 0017 landed the Dolphin. The two people seemed to take no notice to this fact, and so continued to stare blankly off into space. 009 jumped out of the Dolphin and the two people focused on him.

"Welcome," The girl said. Her voice was commanding and like a lovely tenor saxophone playing. "You've come to reach the end of the world. But before you can reach it, you must pass through us."

The boy put in his ten cents. "Rona, you're so negative! She's right, though. To reach the end of the world, you must fight us."

"What you see is what you want to see. Some see an empty void; some see a field, while others can see a city. In all our years guarding the door, Akio and I have never met a soul who can see what truly lies at the end of the world." The girl, Rona, said. "The lot of you are those who wish to see a city – so you see the most magnificent possible."

By then, the rest other sixteen awake cyborgs had left the Dolphin. Akio and Rona rose from their seats. Standing, they looked like nobility. Their posture was straight, though Akio's was a more relaxed one. He smiled at them.

"Welcome to your end. Only those who can beat us are able to reach the end of the world," Akio said. He drew a sword from thin air and struck 0015.

&-&-&-

The seven young members of the Scarl family sat in their meeting room. Raven and Jessica were listening intently. The topic of today's discussion was how to get them to two of the bases, which were currently orbiting Earth.

"I thought you had this all planned out, you moron." Josephine snapped to Alexa. Alexa shoved the file at her sister.

"Well, God dammit, you find it! The hell with it!" Alexa shouted, throwing her hands into the air.

"Alexa, Josephine, calm down. Project Meteor is nearly at the Ultimate Stage. All we need to do is ask Diana and 0019 to teleport them." Marco said calmly, shoving Alexa back into her seat. Raven and Jessica looked on as their – now much so – older siblings fought.

"I agree with Marco," Pierre remarked. "It seems logical, since Diana's been feeling much better since stage two."

0061 entered. "Sorry for interrupting this happy reunion, but it's important. The Dolphin has left all our radar…and none of us can pick up their transmitting signals."

Raven, Jessica and Alexa were once again the set of triplets they had always been. "Go. Send them off into the satellites." Alexa said. "We need to keep communications with them, so we know if we can get the ball rolling. I'm off to go get 0018 and 0020 to help re-scan. Andrew, go get 0019 and Diana."

&-&-&-

"Oh…_this_ should be good."

"For once, you speak the truth. They're the first to dare and enter Akio and Rona's realm for about fifty years. This should be a good fight."

"Fate, you already know what's going to happen. Just let us watch!"

"Well, Omega…"

"The three of you! Just shut up!"

&-&-&-

"For a girl, you fight pretty good!" 002 shouted to Rona. Rona tossed her head back and gave him a barking laugh.

"You fight like one, so why are you talking?" Rona retaliated, sending a thousand crystal shards flying toward him. She turned on her heel and darted off.

_She moves pretty fast for a bitch in a skirt, _0016 thought. She held up her hand to try and hit Rona with her ice.

Rona whipped around and held her hand up as the blue ice flew toward her. A green shield shot up around her entire body. The ice couldn't get through it, or even _near _it for that matter. 0016 cursed under her breath and tried flames.

This also proved a failure.

The cyborgs had come to the conclusion that Akio and Rona were inhuman. They _had _to be cyborgs. Magic didn't exist, so it couldn't have been that. Was this "end of the world" merely something put up by Black Ghost to haul them in?

Akio and 0015's swords clashed again. Sparks flew from the metal as the swords were pulled away, only to meet again. Akio laughed.

"Your technique is amazing, 0015," He complimented. 0015 only struck him once more, but he quickly defended himself. "Who did you learn from…and where did this sword come from?"

He didn't wait for a reply. He threw his sword back to Rona, who caught it deftly. Akio held out his hand, and a surge of bright green light flew from it. 0015, taken aback, quickly regained her composure.

"HIKARU NO RYU!" 0015 shouted. Akio tried to defend himself this time, but it didn't quite work out. He got about half a shield up in time, resulting in only half the damage that her attack would have normally caused.

The words _Rona _and _sword_ were dangerous in the same sentence. Especially when the sentence detailed how she could seriously do damage with it. By the time you could have said this sentence, Rona had gotten around to doing damage to 0016, 0014, and 0021. Rona, through it all, still remained in perfect condition. The two guardians walked to one another and stood next to each other, right in front of the door.

"Look at the city now," Rona said. The cyborgs looked.

The city seemed to be protected by a glass bubble now. The moonlight was fading away on the horizon.

Akio took his sword back from Rona. Rona held out her hand and a double-bladed two-ended sickle appeared there. The blades faced opposite ways. One was silver, inlaid with rubies, and the other gold, sprinkled with emeralds. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and turned the blades so they were at a straight line at her waist.

"You may fight well," Rona said. "But you are no match for us. All you have to do is _believe_ what you see and you will defeat us."

As she talked, 0014 tried to attack her from behind. Rona spun around and caught her neck in the curve of the golden blade.

"One move is all it will take me," Rona said.

&-&-&-

"Here, I'll leave you off here. Okay?" Diana asked through a speaker to Jessica.

"Yes, thank you, Miss Diana." Jessica responded dutifully. Her feet lightly tapped down onto the small base. It was rather like a greenhouse. There were paved streets, thousands of planters, and a large computer network set up next to where she stood. There was glass protecting her from the airless environment outside, although the nine-year-old could see it very clearly.

"If you have any problems, Jessica, don't hesitate to call us." Diana said. "We'll let you know when we start the Ultimate Stage so you can be sure to tell us if that place is livable. If this is successful, Jessica…."

"You don't need to tell me," Jessica cut her off. Diana, back on Earth, clasped her hands to her chest. This poor child had to do this all alone, knowing that her entire family could be killed in the process.

"I'll talk with you later, then," Diana said.

"Later," Jessica echoed sadly.

Diana flipped off the headset and laid it down. She still felt slightly woozy.

"Why don't you go and get yourself something to eat?" Andrew asked. He laid a hand on Diana's shoulder. She turned her head to get a better view of his face.

"Okay…then I'll help search for the Dolphin some more." Diana replied. She stood up from the gray swivel chair. "Even with 0019 searching, we can't seem to locate it. It doesn't make any sense."

"Not much does, these days," Andrew muttered under his breath.

&-&-&-

"She just told them how to get through! I TOLD YOU!"

"ISV, calm down! There's no need to get pissed off about it!"

"…"

"Now, just watch. One of them is bound to realize it sooner or later."

"But OV?"

"OV has no clue what's going on. She's asleep right now."

"Maybe one has the power we've been searching for…"

"Start hoping, Pandora."

&-&-&-

"You could have just listened and made this a lot easier on all of us," Rona said. "I said that you had to accept what you saw and you would defeat us. Instead…"

She waved an arm. In its wake were the scarred bodies of 0021, 0016 and 004. 0017 registered what Rona had just repeated.

"THAT'S IT!" 0017 exclaimed. She looked at the city, which was no longer glittering. It vanished and only the glass bubble remained. Akio turned his head.

"Well, how about that," He said. He held his blade up. "You're a smart child. They're waiting for you."

Rona lowered her sickle. She walked to 0017 and placed the tip of the golden blade to 0017's right shoulder.

"Excellent," Rona said. 0021, 0016 and 004 sprung back up, completely well once more. The other cyborgs who had been injured were healed. "I wish you luck. You will see us again. Should you have any trouble, they'll help you."

She stepped back to stand in front of the door with Akio. Her sickle vanished.

The two clasped hands, waved, and vanished.

&-&-&-

"Still doing okay?" Diana asked.

"Yeah," Jessica replied. "Everything seems to work fine up here. Is Raven okay?"

"Yes. We're about to join you up there, since they're calling the meteorites in right now." Diana said. She heard the child sigh in relief. "Have you seen a red and white ship flying around out there?"

"No, I haven't. Why?" Jessica answered.

"Oh…okay. Don't worry about it, but if you see it before we get up there, call." Diana said, letting a little air out.

"I'll see you soon," Jessica's voice said before static washed into Diana's ears. Diana took the headset off once more and leaned back in the chair. She placed a hand to her forehead and over her eyes.

_Using magic like that when you're sick…it's insane, I know… _She thought. Diana was still tired and didn't feel like she was on top of the world quite yet. Her body was still tired from using so much energy at phase two. Hell, she was mad at herself for even waking up that morning.

"Jessica still fine?" Andrew asked, laying his hands over Diana's. "And more importantly, are you?"

Diana moved her hand. "Not really. Well, I mean, she is…"

"We need to leave. Josephine, Marco, Alexa and Pierre left about five minutes ago with 0018 and 0020. Do you feel able to transport four more people with your sister's help?" Andrew said. Diana sat up.

"I guess…" She said. "Wait, but isn't 0019 going to take Black Ghost?"

"No," Andrew replied. "My father is going to leave with some of his scientists later on."

They heard something hit the roof. 0019, 0037, 0049 and 0061 appeared in the doorway.

"Let's go. It started." 0019 said. The sisters joined hands. The group was engulf by bright blue light, and was teleported to Raven's base just as another bunch of meteorites hit the roof.

Raven turned to face them. "Welcome."

Andrew looked to Diana. She was leaning against 0019 for support.

"Rae," He asked, "Is there anywhere where Diana could lie down for a while?"

Raven nodded and ran ahead of them. Diana gazed forlornly into 0019's eyes.

"No way," 0019 said sharply. "You have at least an hour or two before we have to start fighting with the ones who attempted an escape. Besides…Generation Zero is supposed to be showing up."

Diana faltered. She was too tired to move. Andrew scooped her up into his arms and followed Raven to a shady tree. Raven watched as the older girl was laid in a sitting position against the trunk, then as her brother sat down next to her.

"Is she okay?" Raven asked. Andrew looked to his youngest sister, and smiled a little at her.

"She's just tired, Rae. Thanks," He answered.

0019 looked up into the stars, through the glass. In a few hours, they would rule all of them. Diana could have cared less for it, but the Scarl family wanted it. 0019 saw the meteors falling to Earth, several too large to burn up in the atmosphere.

"Alexa," Andrew said into a headset he had taken.

"I'm right here, fool," Alexa snapped into her own headset. She was _not _happy. "What the fuck do you need?"

"Well, shit, I can call to see if you're ready, can't I?" Andrew demanded.

At the moment, Alexa was sitting on Jessica's base. Her long, black hair was tied into a half-bun and pinned by black chopsticks, which had black flower beads dangling from their ends. The rest of her hair fell smoothly to her waist. She wore a sleeveless black dress with a full skirt. Her arms were covered by black kid gloves, and she wore a silver necklace with a black diamond star on it. From her ears hung a black die with colored numbers on the faces, and strappy high-heeled black sandals adorned her feet. No one would see them, since the skirt was so long. She wore mascara to highlight her gray eyes, but that was all on makeup.

"I am," Alexa snapped back. "It's sixteen years of my life that's finally catching up to me. I'm not ready to do this, Andrew. I'm not ready to die!"

Andrew could hear emotion coming from Alexa that he hadn't heard in a _long_ time. She was alone, he gathered. He could hear that she was crying. As much as she wanted power, she wasn't willing to risk her own life to obtain it.

&-&-&-

Verita jumped out of the Dolphin. "Did I fall asleep?"

"Why yes, you did," 0021 said. "I think I did too, for a while…"

She looked at the door. It was unguarded. There was no longer a city behind it, either.

0016 grabbed the doorknob. "Well, everybody, we've made it this far,"

0017 smiled to 004. 0021 and 0014 smiled to 009 and 002. 0016 gave a secretive smiled to 008. They had all reached the end of the world – alive.

0016 turned the knob. She pulled the door open and peered inside.

"Welcome to the end of the world."

&-&-&-&-

HERE WE GO! IT'S TIME!

Oh my God, I'm so excited! Next chapter will be so much insanity! Shall I take the risk and write it in songfic format? ((evilly smiles)) I'll think….

**START POPPING POPCORN NOW, FOOLS! **

0015: We, the members of Generation Three, were meant to bring back what the Black Ghost Organization wanted for Generation One. In chapter ten, D.S. al Coda…I'm serious, that's the title of the chapter…we have to attack Black Ghost once more before they take off into space. And when 0016 opened the door, what was behind it? Find out next time!


	10. DS al Coda

0014: ((walks out onto a stage; the curtain is closed and she is in the spotlight)) We were nine ordinary girls, living nine ordinary lives. We were perfectly happy with the way we were. ((walks off))

0015: ((walks on, faces crowd, holds out Soul Eater)) Black Ghost kidnapped us one day and turned us nine into cyborgs. We were given abilities beyond what people thought possible…but we never asked for this. ((exits))

((sad and slow piano begins to play in C Minor))

0016: ((enters wearing cyborg uniform)) We went from normal girls to death machines overnight. We could kill anything…and anyone…that got in our way. ((leaves))

0017: ((holds up hammer)) We joined a rebellion that had formed years ago; they were also cyborgs created and kidnapped by Black Ghost. It was then that we learned what they could truly do to us. ((walks off, and curtains rise to show something cool))

Behind the curtain: Sadie is wearing sapphire blue slip dress and matching stilettos, her hair is done into a half-ponytail; she has on mascara and blush. Joe (the beta!) is wearing a tux and sitting on a glossy piano bench, playing a grand piano. Sadie is holding a cordless mike. The backdrop is black with pale blue bubbles painted onto it.

Sadie: We'd like to thank everyone for coming out this evening ((waves hand, and lights in the audience dim, stage lights come on)) to watch this performance. Tonight we will be performing _Holding Out for a Hero_. Joe will be our pianist, Julia our conductor, and Rose our lead light specialist. On their behalf, I thank you once more.

((audience lights dim further, light clapping echoes around))

**_This _**will be the song during the chapter, and **_((This)) _**movement or tempo change.

"This" is spoken by the cyborgs and humans.

_This_ is the humans/cyborgs thinking to themselves.

(This) is cyborgs/humans sharing thoughts.

Joe: We disclaim the rights to Cyborg 009, Holding Out for a Hero, and many of the characters in this story. Please remain in your seats and enjoy the show!

&-&-&-

D.S. al Coda

Chapter Ten: D.S. al Coda

&-&-&-&-

((Audience lights fade out while silver light sparkles around Sadie)) Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to dedicate this song to Princess Mika, and her new husband…Prince Duo. ((piano plays softly))

_**((They begin the song. It's like a slow dance. Piano and vocal are on solo.))  
Where have all the good men gone  
**__**And where are all the gods?  
**__**Where's the street-wise Hercules  
**__**To fight the rising odds?**_

"Welcome to the end of the world." A girl said.

The bunch walked through the wooden door frame. They were standing now in an entirely glass room, lit by a warm pinkish glow. Nine figures sat on nine small columns of glass.

The first was a female with think brown hair, plaited into a braid, and bright green eyes. She wore a thin black sweater splattered by neon colors with belled sleeves. Her black jeans were torn and safety pinned; she was evidently making fun of the Scarl style.

The second was a boy with short and spiky sky blue hair and identical eyes. He wore a medium blue t-shirt that had a magnet printed on and "chick magnet" beneath that. His baggy blue jeans had two chains and his black shoes were well worn.

Third was a girl with honey-blond hair that reached just past her shoulders and frosty blue eyes. She wore an ice blue sleeveless shirt that read "oc", a purple belt, flared light blue jeans, and seafoam green tennis shoes.

Next to her was another boy. He had ocean blue hair and laughing blue eyes. On the bridge of his nose were circular tinted blue glasses. His faded blue sweatshirt was pushed up to his elbows, and a double-looped silver belt held up his worn jeans. His blue Nikes had several signs of aging in them.

After him was a fourth girl. She had long, straight, mist-colored hair. She wore a sleeveless turtleneck sweater the color of ivory. Two inches down, a pair of ivory arm warmers stretched down to cover up to her fingers and had a thumbhole; her fingers were long. She had a sand-blasted pleated denim skirt and beige sneakers that were a size too large for her small feet.

Sixth was a boy. He had sea-green hair that was tied into a thin ponytail at the nape of his neck. His bright green eyes sparkled in laughter. He wore a green t-shirt, dark blue jeans, and dark green Converse.

As they looked to the next girl, she pushed her hair away from her eyes. It was In Somnis Veritas. She laughed at their astonished faces.

The next to last was a boy. He had raven-colored hair that was contrasted by his ruby eyes. His red t-shirt had the Converse logo printed on it, and his jeans sported the South Pole logo. On his feet were black Converse.

Last in the line was a girl with purple hair that reached just past her chest and sparkling purple eyes. Her sweatshirt had an omega symbol printed on the chest in black, and her jeans were sand-blasted and held up by a crisscrossed black belt. Her purple shoes were identical to the color of her hair.

"As Omega said before," The first girl said, "Welcome to the end of the world. We're glad you could make it." She had a light voice, like a flute playing its low notes.

"Epona!" Verita squealed. The first girl looked a little taken back, then noticed the blood-red-haired cyborg dashing toward her. They hugged.

"It's nice to have you back, Omnes Verita," The first girl said. "Ooops! We never introduced ourselves! I'm Epona!"

"Kronos," His voice was deep, but his light hair lessened the effect.

"Pandora," The second girl said. She lifted a small box from behind her. "And this is my box." Her voice was pretty, with a little flair at the end of her sentence.

"Poseidon." His voice was lined lightly with laughter, and deeper than Kronos's.

"Fate." She had a voice that sounded nearly as delicate as she looked.

"Panthos," He had a voice that was begging to laugh out loud, and a little higher than Poseidon's.

"Just call me ISV!" In Somnis Veritas said. "And she's OV."

"Epsilon." As he spoke, it was like a clarinet on its bottom notes.

"And I'm Omega," The last girl greeted. Her voice was energetic and commanding, as if a trombone were hitting its highest notes. "You've done well! But, you have only more fighting. The Ultimate Stage of Project Meteor is going underway soon."

"Hold up!" 0021 exclaimed. "Are you Generation Zero?"

"You bet we are!" Epona said. Fate stood and walked to them.

"You were destined to come here…" She said. "Maybe, there's the slight possibility in hell's inferno, that one of you is destined to open Pandora's Box."

"Okay, Omega, you owe me ten." Kronos said. Omega stood up and whacked him on the head.

"Come on, dork. Do you lot have any other questions?" Omega was addressing the cyborgs.

Before she knew what she was saying, 0034 blurted out, "Why were we created?"

Generation Zero froze. Pandora shifted.

"You were created because of us," She began. "0042 was meant to be Poseidon's clone, for example. About seventy-four years ago, Black Ghost asked us ten to come and join him for tea. Before that, we had never met. So we went to tea. Black Ghost offered us to become cyborgs, and to have the power to take over the world. All ten of us refused this offer with a passion. We darted from the tea, Black Ghost hot on our heels."

Panthos took over. "Four years later, BG gave up his search for us. He decided this time not to ask the people he wanted as cyborgs. Thus is how Generations One and Two were captured. It's our fault."

"I need a camera!" ISV exclaimed. "Panthos is _actually _apologizing!"

Poseidon laughed. He looked up and saw meteors falling to the Earth.

"We have problems. Enough talking, we can explain to them later. Right now, they need to see the glass atrium."

"Wait." Pandora ordered. "My box. One of you has to be able to open it. When the true Pandora sealed it so curiosity could never seep over us again, she made a mistake. Only a person with a pure soul may open the box. I can't. You'll know when."

"What's the myth?" 002 asked. ISV rolled her eyes to Pandora like 'I-told-you-so'.

"Pandora was the first woman on Earth. In short, she opened a box and let all the evil in the world out. She mistakenly withheld hope from escaping. Our Pandora wants to open the box and free hope." Fate explained.

They walked to a glass dome that had a huge glass door. There were several jet planes ready to go.

"Pick a jet, any jet," Epsilon said.

_**Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?  
Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need**_

"Hn? 0019?" Diana asked, waking up from her daze. 0019 dropped down from the tree above.

"Feeling a little better?" 0019 asked, helping her sister to stand. "You seem to be. Here, let's change right now so it's easier. Andrew said it was going to start soon."

The two clasped hands and transformed into the gold and white gowns once more. Diana stumbled backwards, only to have Andrew catch her.

"She's fine," He said into his headset.

"Good. He's here to take me to the orb." Alexa said from another end. She lifted the set delicately from her head and accepted her father's hand. Alexa stood and they exited the small preparation room. Her skirt swished around her feet.

Scarl held his daughter's hand at a shoulder level. He wore his usual mask and cloak.

They reached the small orb. It was mostly a glass window and metal. Alexa lowered herself inside and looked around. A dagger with a glinting silver blade and a few controls awaited her. Her father pressed a few buttons, and the orb released.

She flew on a pre-programmed path to a location directly above the Northern Hemisphere. She lifted the dagger and saw Pierre and Andrew circling around her tiny orb.

"Thanks," She whispered. She held the dagger up and flipped a speaker switch. "I, Alexa Genevieve Scarl, give my own life to obtain power…"

She raised her right wrist and cut a gash across and down it. "I shed my own blood as a sacrifice to destroy the human race!"

She ignored the blood dripping from both the dagger and her wrist. She cut two diagonal cuts on her left wrist. "Let the Scarl family rule the universe from this day forth!"

Alexa sat on her skirt, in a pool of her own blood. Andrew looked concerned for her and Pierre looked over to his other side.

There was a fantastic blast of black light that came from Alexa's orb. Kronos looked up through the glass atrium to see it.

"Hurry up! They just unleashed a weird energy!" He shouted. 0017 closed the hatch to her jet and flew off. Epsilon ran out the giant glass door into space. 009 ran the jet to Epsilon.

"What happened?" 009 asked.

"I actually have no idea," Epsilon answered. Omega smiled at 009.

"Relax! You'll only fight worse if you're tense. Trust the people around you." Omega said, right before jumping into another jet and flying it out of the atrium.

"Best of luck, 009!" Epsilon shouted after him. He was out in space at that moment and seemed to be able to breathe perfectly fine. 009 zoomed out in the unfamiliar jet to join him. 009 saw Fate and Kronos walking around as if it were perfectly normal conditions. After a minute of watching them, he saw Kronos sprinkling blue dust around and Fate waving her hand to emit a white light over it.

(Omega! Where are you?) 009 could hear Epona calling.

(Epona, calm down. I'm right behind you!) Omega said.

(Are…you cyborgs?) 009 asked them. Omega flew over to fly next to him.

(Nope. Organic humans, that we are. We were _born _like this…most of our names are what our powers are. For example: I am Omega. Omega is the last letter in the Greek alphabet. I'm granted with the power of the end.) Omega answered him. (You remember Apollo and that bunch?)

(Yeah,) 002 said.

Omega flipped her purple hair around. (It's like that.)

(Oy, quit your yapping!) Panthos shouted. (They're headed this way, with power!)

ISV jumped out from behind the moon. (They have Diana and Artemis, and Josephine wants to call out Helios and Luna! Take Josephine out first, then the others!)

(Helios and Luna?…) 0021 echoed, confused. (And Artemis?)

(Helios and Luna are Diana's brother and sister. Artemis is 0019's name.) OV explained, already back in style. She appeared next to her sister in a black t-shirt, destroyed jeans and red sneakers. Her hair had been tied into a pair of low-set pigtails.

"Foolish cyborgs!" Josephine's voice crackled through their jets, and for Generation Zero, their heads. Her face appeared in screens on the jets. "Give up now and we'll think about releasing 0050 and 0016!"

In her battle ship, she flicked the screen off and turned to face her already captive cyborgs.

"Well well, the first slaves of our new empire," Josephine said, tracing a finger down 0050's neck. 0050 slapped the hand away.

"Try and take us alive, bitch," 0016 said. She looked and saw Pandora out the window, a beam of seafoam light cast from her hand, controlling a meteor.

The meteor struck. In the split second that Josephine looked away, 0016 burned their bindings off and darted for dear life.

"Watch it!" 0050 shouted. They ducked and somersaulted, right before landing themselves in front of…

**_((song picks up speed; lights kick on in the background and the backdrop is now purple. Sadie starts dancing along, while Joe laughs his evil laugh))  
_**_**I need a hero  
**__**I'm holding out for a hero until the end of the night  
**__**And he's gotta be strong  
**__**And he's gotta be fast  
**__**And he's gotta be fresh from the fight**_

"SHATTERING EMERALD DESTINY!"

"TIME VORTEX!"

"WATER WHEEL!"

The three attacks were shouted in rapid succession. Fate threw her arms up and an emerald boom shattered the machines and glass on Josephine's warship. Kronos and Poseidon held out one hand apiece to send both a black and bright blue swirl toward Alexa's orb.

"HEY YOU! BACK OFF MY BOSS!" A thoroughly pissed 0019 shouted. She wore the strange white outfit once again. But this time, long, black, feathery wings extended for six feet out of her shoulderblades.

"Arty-chan has arrived!" ISV laughed. She sent a red beam of light out. "DREAMAHOLIC!"

A black casing weaved itself around 0019….

"TAKE IT!" 0017 called joyfully. She released hundreds of bullets into the black of space toward Andrew. Andrew dodged all but one, and that one he blocked. Diana sprang from behind him. She wore the same clothes as 0019 did, but her wings were a mere foot long and were snow white.

"Let's go, you and me, one on one," Diana said. She tossed a white light out of her left hand. "LUNA RAY!"

The light fell like a light rain toward her palm. She held her arm up, and the drops of light formed themselves into one. Taking aim, she fired for 0043's jet. 0043 quickly became a fly and flew from the jet as it was about to explode. She became a clone of Diana and pulled off the same maneuver.

Diana quickly held up her arms. "Defend!"

A shadow copy of the moon fell around her and she was shielded from the attack. Diana was very obviously tired. Andrew jumped in front of her and unleashed his two hundred bullets for 0017. 0017 deflected the bullets with her magnetism and laughed.

… "Pierre?" 0050 asked, standing up. They weren't at gunpoint, although it seemed as though they should have been.

"There's not much time before Josephine realizes that something's wrong," Pierre said in a hurried whisper. "Once she gets back online with all the equipment, she'll find out that when Alexa committed suicide, full power didn't come. We'll have to kill…"

"But Pierre," 0050 said. "Why are you not trying to kill us?"

"I wanted to say goodbye, Deak…" Pierre muttered, grasping her hands. "And that I'm sorry…"

0050 blushed lightly. They kissed each other, then quickly broke away. 0016 watched the scene with mild interest until the kiss. Once Pierre ran off, 0050 sighed.

"I probably won't see him again…" 0050 said.

"WHAT?" Josephine roared. Today was supposed to be _her_ day. How come when Alexa died, she didn't obtain full power?

"Might I suggest," A shaking 0020 said. "That you had to kill Jessica and Raven to complete the set?"

All of their machines were busted, so Josephine had no sense if the cyborg was correct or not. Josephine looked out into the area without gravity. She could see Andrew fighting, as well as all the cyborgs. She could also see the two satellites where Raven and Jessica currently were.

With but a wave of her hand, Josephine had the two triplets standing in front of her. They seemed surprised.

"Yes, Josephine?" Raven asked meekly. 0018 and 0049 took daggers noiselessly from their belts and cut slits in the triplets' throats. The two fainted, and eventually stopped breathing altogether.

"YES! I can feel it coming on!"…

Epona just missed being clipped by a bullet from 0037. Omega tried to fly into 0037, but 0037 caught the nose of the jet and flung it toward the moon. Omega had no option but to be pinned into her seat by the tremendous force. As they struck the surface, 0037 could hear the screech of pain.

"You're going to pay for this in spades," Epona said. "ALPHA DAWN!"

Beams of sunlight sparkled around 0037 and tried to crush her. 0037 tried to struggle against her bonds, but the more she squirmed, the tighter the bands became.

(Am I still alive? If so, respond…) Omega's weak voice came.

(Oh, Omega, I'm so sorry!) 0034 answered Omega's call.

(No worries,) Omega replied. (You may have to pull me out. Also, check and see if Josie obtained the power…'cause it feels that way.)

**_I need a hero_**  
_**I'm holding out for a hero until the morning light  
**__**And he's gotta be sure  
**__**And it's gotta be soon  
**__**And he's gotta be larger than life  
**__**Larger than life**_

Swirling blasts of deep purple light danced through the vast expanse around Josephine. The indistinguishable bodies of Alexa, Jessica and Raven lifted from where they had laid dead to shrivel into nothingness. All the fighting froze.

Josephine cackled. Light sparkled from her palms. She was God. She ruled the universe and all it contained. Pandora clutched her box to her chest and wept. 0021 circled in her jet, trying to ignore the facts that they were all facing.

(Shit. I changed.) Omega said. For crashing into a natural satellite, she looked perfectly fine. Well, except that her sweatshirt was gone. Golden armbands replaced it, and covering her bosom was a white strap of cloth that was tied in the back. Omega did not seem to be pleased with this.

(Kronos…it's time.) Fate said. (After we do this, you will have to take it into your own hands. This is as far as we can take you. The rest is in your hands.)

Kronos glanced upward. "BLUE FATE…"

Fate jumped. "WHITE DESTINY!"

The powder Kronos had sprinkled earlier exploded. Time seemed to freeze with a pale blue shine covering the planets and distant stars. Only the humans, cyborgs and their machines remained with motion.

"Here. Take this." Pandora said to 0015. "One of you may be able to open it."

Generation Zero vanished altogether. 0015 threw the box to 0017 and tried to attack Pierre with her sword.

"No no no, little one," Josephine teased. She threw a hand out and 0015 was frozen along with everything else. Her sword was raised. "Get that box! It could destroy what we need!"

Andrew flew toward 0017. 0017, who had just closed her hatch, flew off as fast as she could go. Pandora's Box was clutched in between her feet.

0016 took aim for Pierre. 0050 was aiming for Andrew.

"Ready?" 0050 asked.

"Why shouldn't I be?" 0016 asked, then fired her ice at Pierre. 0050 sat down on a cannon, lit it, and the ball fired from it. Both attacks only missed their targets by a foot.

"WATCH THIS!" 0021 shouted from inside her jet. She held a hand out, and the moon began to move. She continued to move it until it smacked where Josephine and 0019 stood. 0019 frowned.

"UMBRA STRIKE!" She roared. Black cords wound themselves around 0021's limbs. 0021 realized that this wasn't any ordinary binding attack once she felt the darkness seep into her mind. She tried to push it out, but it wouldn't leave.

"Give up, fool," Josephine commanded. 0021 had no choice but to obey, and the attack shrouded her mind. The moon returned to its orbit. 0021 screamed and her uniform turned black with silver buttons and cape. Her eyes dimmed to murky blue-gray and she flew to Josephine.

"My little slave," Josephine said, ordering 0021 out of the jet. 0017 and 0034 saw and nodded to one another. Both unleashed, in a combined effort, about a thousand bullets toward Josephine. 0021 threw her weight about in a ragdoll-like fashion and deflected the bullets.

"Do you know why 0021 was created?" Josephine asked. Her size multiplied by about twenty, so she towered over the solar system. "0021 was meant to be my pet. But you stole her from me! Now I have her back and I can once again take my power!"

(Oy, you may want to do something, 0043 and 007.) Panthos suggested. (Multiply yourselves so it looks like there's more. Trust me, you can do it.)

(Worth a shot,) 007 confirmed with 0043. She shrugged in reply.

"HEY BOZO!" 0043 shouted. She got Andrew and Marco's attention in response. "IF YOU BITCHES CAN CATCH US, YOU CAN TAKE US ALIVE!"

"0043!" 007 groaned. She took off, leaving copies of herself in her wake. 007 shook his head and took off after her.

Instantly, Macro and Andrew began firing. 0043 hit her accelerator and took off leaving hundreds of clones per second.

"GET THE BOX!" Josephine commanded 0021. 0021 jumped from her place and flew toward 0017. 0017 hit her accelerator, and 0021 followed her lead. No matter how fast she went, 0017 couldn't shake 0021. Finally, she left acceleration mode with her jet in shambles. 0021 slowed and blasted the jet with all she could muster.

The jet was barely recognizable. 0021 broke through the hatch and grabbed the box. 0017 was knocked out cold and had several bleeding gashes, and even more unseen by 0021's harsh eyes.

"Bring it here," Josephine said. 0021 obeyed, and just as she was about to pass off the box…

_**((song slows just a little, Sadie stops dancing but the background stays lit))  
**__**Somewhere after midnight  
**__**In my wildest fantasy  
**__**Somewhere just beyond my reach  
**__**There's someone reaching back for me**_

"Well, at least we know that 0043 and 007 are doing some good," Panthos said. Epona waved her hand at him.

"But hell is controlling their most powerful asset, 0015's gone, and Pandora's Box is going to be destroyed." Epona replied.

…009 blasted it from her hands. The box fell to the ground near 0021's feet.

"You pick it up and I'll kill you," 0016 said above her. 0021 was torn between obeying Josephine, or listening to 009 and 0016. She bent down to pick it up and struggled to move toward 009.

"Take it," She whispered. "Please."

009 gently lifted the box from her hands and flew for it. Seconds later, Josephine realized what had happened.

"0019! Get 009!" Josephine ordered. 0019 flew to the rouge cyborg.

"You poor, deranged fool," 0019 shouted, then took aim with her blaster. When that didn't work, she stopped. "We'll see…ESCAPE MY ARROWS!"

A bow and a quiver of arrows appeared in her hands. 0019 knocked three and took aim for 009. She loosed the arrows and they flew for him, fire lighting their tips.

His jet took the arrows. Seconds later as he began to spiral down, Fate appeared next to him.

(The bearer of Pandora's Box, at current, is 009,) She reported. 009 noticed that a white beam of light was pulling him out of the nosedive and back toward the fight.

(You really need to give that to the person you love,) Fate said to him. (That's all for now. Poseidon and Panthos may be by later if you haven't figured it out yet.)

She disappeared once more. 009 found that his jet was repaired, and he still held the box. But Fate had said something about his love. Did she mean 0021 or 003? He was torn: 0021 loved him, as did 003. But whom did he want to give his love to?

"YOU DIPSTICKS CAN'T FUCKING CATCH US!" 0043 roared. She was laughing at Marco and Andrew. Their focus had dwindled. Diana came flying by.

"Allow me," She said calmly. Taking aim, she fired two rays of light at 0043 and 007. The rays struck 0043 and 007, who were knocked unconscious instantly. 0014 flew by in her jet and caught them as they fell.

(0043 and 007 just got it,) 0014 said.

(Well shit, we could use help!) 0050 snapped. (0017's missing, 0021 is fighting everything that comes near her, and we have a crazed archer.)

0014 got there as fast as she could. It was not a pretty picture.

0034 was being shocked in her jet by the power-crazed Josephine, 0042 was trying desperately to find 0017, and the rest were trying to coax 0021 out of shooting them. 0014 sprang out of her jet and found that Poseidon was standing next to her.

"This isn't very good," He mumbled. "0017 is over yonder. I'll set her jet so she'll fly back to the atrium. What you can do…" He gave her a large smile. "You figure it out."

He was gone once more. 0034 lay toasted in her jet. 0021 drew her arms in tightly and curled into a ball.

"Don't worry, little cyborgs," Josephine taunted. A beam of lightning came down to try and strike 0042, but 0014 realized what Poseidon had reminded her of.

"BEAT THIS, BITCH!" 0014 cried, and sent the lightning right back at Josephine. 0021 jumped up and fired a brilliant pink blast for Josephine, who had shrunk back to size.

"0037!" 0049 called. 0037 ran off toward Josephine.

"0021! Aim for her legs!" 0037 shouted to 0021. The opposing team was shocked. Why was _0037_ helping them? But 0021 wasted no time and shot for Josephine once again.

Josephine reflected the bullet and it shot 0037 in the heart. She flickered away, as if she were a hologram.

**_Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat_**  
_**It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet**_

Fate stomped her foot down on the glass. "YOU FUCKING IDIOTS! OPEN THE BOX!"

Epsilon laughed. "Fate, this is the most fun you've been since…well, since ever."

ISV smacked him upside the head. "Oy, just let her steam."

009 threw the box to 0021. 0021 looked at him with a shocked expression.

"This isn't for me. I can't open it." 0021 said, handing it back to him. He looked at her. "I'm sorry, 009…" Silver tears spilled down her cheeks. For a moment, he watched as she showed him that the lid would not lift for her. As he was about to accept it back from her, Marco shot it from their hands.

"That's ours, mind you," Pierre said, lifting it and hurtling it to Josephine. She caught it and stumbled back a little.

"Do you know why I can open this?" Josephine asked, stepping back into her swirling purple vortex. "My heart is pure…pure evil!"

She tried to open the lid, but it wouldn't come. 0021 snickered.

"BITCH!" Josephine snapped. A blast of fire erupted around 0021 and she flew off once more in her jet.

"Make me, and I may!" 0021 replied happily. Josephine was royally pissed off and was willing to show it. 0021 wanted to shake the knowledge that she couldn't open Pandora's Box.

By some random instinct, Diana sprang in front of 0021.

(Don't you dare hurt her,) 0019 said. Josephine gave a shriek of rage.

"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU ALL CONVERTING! DON'T YOU WANT POWER?" She demanded. Her gaze, along with all her siblings', fell to Pandora's Box. It was clutched in 0050's hands. 0050 saw them looking and threw the box to 003, who was one of the cyborgs outside their jets. 003 caught it and held it for a moment.

Pandora and Fate were pale and sweating with nervousness. Panthos was trying to calm the trembling Epona and Poseidon the shaken Omega. ISV and OV clung to one another and hoped that the end was drawing near.

"Diana and Artemis have reawakened," Epona said in a shaken voice. "Akio and Rona have brought back 0017 and 0015."

Epsilon looked out the glass. His ruby eyes watched as 0021 and 009 tried to divert attention from 003.

_She's given up hope, _Omega thought. _0021 finally forgot her love for 009 and returned him to 003. I only hope, for our sanity, that this will end._

ISV placed her palm to the glass. Project Meteor _couldn't _be successful, or the end was upon the universe. Their hideout would be ripped open, and they would all become cyborgs like her poor sister. The usual jumped-up psychic was aware that a tear fell down her cheek.

All of Generation Zero knew what could happen either way the coin landed. Pandora watched as 003 placed her hand to the box's lock and lifted it. Pandora clasped a hand over her mouth as Josephine shot for 003's heart. In an instant, Pandora began to weep, but all hope was not lost. The bullet drew to be only a few inches from 003's very flesh, and…

**_((song goes on drugs. Sadie and Joe get onto the piano and begin to dance while the replacement pianist, Heather, enters))  
Up where the mountains meet the heavens above  
Out where the lightning splits the sea  
_****_I could swear that there's someone somewhere  
_****_Watching me_**

Just before the bullet had made contact with 003, she lifted the lid of Pandora's Box. A small child now sat in the open box, and held out her hand. The bullet was splintered into millions of shards and fell to a shocked 003's feet.

The little girl was hardly a foot tall. She had teensy hands and feet, and cute little powder blue ringlets framed her smiling face. Her eyes were bright blue green with purple around their rims. Out of her shoulderblades, through a ripped long-sleeved pale purple shirt, white wings burst. The shirt was draped over her entire body, and covered over her fingers, and her feet were clad in petite lavender slippers.

Josephine's eyes widened. "How…how…did you open the box?"

003 was hardly aware of what she had done. The little girl climbed onto 003's shoulder and kicked the lid of the box shut.

Pandora appeared. "Hope is released. I can take the box back…"

She was crying. As 003 handed Pandora the box, the little girl patted Pandora's head. Pandora smiled through her stream of tears.

"I hope you can help them, Hope." Pandora said, then vanished once more.

Hope, the little girl, hugged 003. "Sorry for scaring you. But we can exchange names a little later on. Both of us have work."

Josephine roared in rage. The purple vortex shot arms out to try and strike the cyborgs.

"Hey, Artemis…" Diana said. "How about we rock these dorks to the next millenium?"

0019 smiled. Josephine screamed.

"GOD DAMN YOU ALL! Wait…I am God!" Josephine realized. She cackled. An arrow came flying at her, and it was from 0019's bow. 0019 laughed.

"Never was there a better archer than Artemis!" 0019 shouted. The arrow collided with a purple arm and destroyed it. While Josephine was preoccupied with 0019, 0021 shot for Marco.

"SHUSH! My yeast is rising!" 0049 said randomly. Josephine stopped mid-cackle to blink at him. 0049 replied to this, "But look! It is!"

So all the fighting ceased and they watched the yeast rise…for five seconds.

0021 shot Marco down. 0019 turned around and laughed. Her wings threw off their black feathers and regrew white ones. 0019 gave a roar of laughter. "I AM ARTEMIS, GODDESS OF THE MOON AND HUNT!"

Suddenly, a white blast rang across the perimeter around Josephine. The purple began to recede to where Josephine stood.

"You can't do that," Josephine said.

"You're right," Diana added. "I can!"

A dark indigo bang blasted across where the white lingered. The two cancelled one another out and three people stood next to Diana and Artemis.

The one in the middle was a boy. He had messy golden-burnt-orange hair and burning, clear blue eyes. He wore a dark green muscle shirt and black basketball shorts. As a side note, he also wore a lot of golden bracelets.

On his right was a female. She had silver hair, twisted into a bun and held up by a white pen with a thirty-two pointed star at its end. Her bright blue eyes looked remarkably similar to Diana's, and she wore the exact same outfit…without the extra gold jewelry. Hers was silver.

The left also happened to be female. She wore a black version of the right girl's uniform and the same silver jewelry.

"UMBRA!" The girl on the left shouted. A dark blast was fired toward Pierre and Andrew, and succeeded in knocking Andrew off his guard. Pierre was engulfed by black flames.

"I'm not about to let you have all the fun, Umbra," The boy said. "SOLAR FLARE!"

A streak of red light flew across to counter the purple ones. The boy smiled. "Your turn, Luna."

"Thank you kindly," Her voice was like a tiny bell tinkling. "REFLECTION!"

All of Josephine's comrades were taken away by silver cords and trapped in a golden cage. The boy and girls hugged Artemis and Diana.

"Nice to see you two again," The dark girl said. Her voice was low and shy. She turned to face the cyborgs. "I'm Umbra, and this is my twin Luna. He's Helios. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Josephine threw a ball of black energy toward the cage. Helios kicked it back to her.

"I'll be watching from the other side," He said. "But you'll see me again soon enough, no?"

**_Through the wind and the chill and the rain  
_****_And the storm and the flood  
_****_I can feel his approach  
_****_Like the fire in my blood_**

0014 drew her hand back and gathered energy. She threw her hand forward and gave Josephine a fat taste of hail and rain. In the distance, she heard Poseidon laughing.

"THAT'S NOT ALL!" 0042 shouted. A fountain of water came flying from 0042's palms and attacked Josephine. 0016 followed suite and set fire and ice from her own hands. The two high-fived one another.

Hope pulled herself into a tiny ball. 003 held the child to her chest and tried to be of some help. 009 looked to 0021. 0021 had abandoned her jet for the moment and was flying with rockets on her feet next to 002 and attacking Josephine on needle setting.

"GOD DAMN YOU ALL!" Josephine roared. She threw a ball of fire at 0021, who was knocked out cold and back into her jet. The hatch slammed shut on her skull and legs.

"No you don't, Josephine," Hope cried. Her tiny body was rapidly growing into an older girl's. "YOU HURT THEM, AND NOW THEY'LL HURT YOU BACK!"

Shadows of 0021, 0015, 0017, 0034, 0037, 0043, 007,Alexa, Raven and Jessica appeared. They were all scarred and frowning at Josephine.

"You fucking asshole," Alexa muttered.

"You God damn bitch! Rot in hell!" 0015 cursed. She drew Soul Eater over her head and cast it back down. It sent a line straight toward Josephine, burning with white power.

For a split second, billions of threads were illuminated. A white light illuminated the entire universe.

"ATTACK RIGHT NOW!" 0037 and 0049 shouted in unison. 004 knelt and unleashed missiles. 009 and 008 fired. 0016 gave all the fire and ice she could. 0050, out of her grand selection, chose thunder to send out at Josephine. 0014 cast lightning and hail down at her will. The shadows were not idle. 0017's drew in metal and pummeled Josephine with it. 0034 was firing bullets from both arms and missiles from both legs. 0043, 007 and 0021 were all firing on different settings.

0015 raised Soul Eater. Everything became deathly black. But suddenly, from where Josephine stood, a white light exploded. Everything retained its normal color. The shadows of the cyborgs vanished, possibly to return to their bodies. Alexa and her sisters remained.

"It's not over yet," Jessica said. Diana pulled Jessica close to her and hugged her.

"We know. We still have to fight one final bastard."

**_((song slows to a medium-paced dance tempo. Strings go on solo with percussion.))_**

Umbra and Luna kicked down the final door leading to Scarl. As if he were waiting for them, he was seated on a throne and watching the door intently. 0042 shot magma at him instead of her classic water.

"No need for that, 0042," Scarl said. 0042, Luna, Artemis, Diana and Umbra entered to start the fight off.

"We vote for who we want to bring back," 0050 said. "I can bring one back to fight."

"0021." 004, 009, 0016 and 0049 said in unison. 0016 turned to face their newly acquired ally, along with 0061 and Andrew. Pierre was back at the end of the world.

"And since when did you have a vote?" 0016 asked 0049 curtly.

"Since I joined your side, bitch," 0049 snapped back.

"DAMN IT, SHUT IT!" 0050 ordered. "0021's coming back for a little while. We just need to remember that she's kinda…hurt."

"I wouldn't worry too much," A sleepy Hope said. "She'll be fine. Just go easy. It's one final person and you have hope on your side."

She was tiny once again.

"Aw, isn't that cute," 0014 said. "Hope is such a small thing, and it makes the biggest difference."

0021 appeared next to them. Her hair was singed and she was bleeding. Her uniform was tattered and torn up, and her eyes were sparkling maliciously.

"Let me kill her," 0021 hissed.

"Uh, correction. Kill Scarl." 0050 corrected. "Go in there and kick his ass."

0021 ran in. Umbra and Luna blinked in her passing. 0021 struck Scarl with a flaming fist, making him stumble backwards. He returned the punch with three times her energy. She fell backwards and hit her head again.

"Nice mask, dickface," 0016 snarled. She shot her ice at him and his right arm melted away. Scarl stepped on 0021's chest and she instantly ceased living. 0016 shot him with her fire this time and ridded him of the mask.

There was a collective gasp around the room. For under the mask was…

A perfectly normal face. It was pointed, with messy dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. This was Scarl, the man behind the mask. It was uncanny.

**_((song regains a fast tempo, a little faster than the last chorus. Lights turn pink and bubbles burst into stars. We're gonna be speedin' at a really fast tempo with Sadie dancing and Joe on piano!))  
_****_I need a hero  
_****_I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light  
_****_And he's gotta be sure  
_****_And he's gotta be soon  
_****_And he's gotta be larger than life_**

A chain of vines wrapped around Scarl. He made no effort to escape.

"Andrew, my son, help your father," He commanded more than asked. Andrew shot him in response. It was a shot to the leg, not a big deal.

0021 bolted up from the ground. The room put on a face of absolute shock. She stood up, her uniform repaired by strips of red cloth, which doubled for binding her cuts. Her hair grew back and she laughed like all hell.

"Release him, Rose!" 0021 shouted. 0061 released him. He stood and faced 0021. "Your day has come, Scarl. You have an acceleration switch and so do I. Let's see if the student can defeat her master."

0021 took off in acceleration mode. Luna watched and saw she was increasing her speed every five seconds. Scarl was using his, but he wasn't moving as fast.

002 jumped into acceleration mode. "What's the problem? You seem a little outdated." And he shot Scarl. Scarl tumbled out of acceleration mode, allowing 0021 to get in more brutal punches and kicks than humanly needed. She at last left acceleration mode.

"Well, dickhead, it's really been awesome knowin' ja. But you know, this relationship was bound not to work out." She sang, kneeling down and poking the near-death overlord. "Nighty-night!"

And she shot him.

0021 turned to face the rest of her group. "Come on, we need to get outta here. The base is set for self-destruct in ten minutes. Let's get moving."

Luna and Umbra flew along the corridors looking for the way out. Luna was eventually the one who found it and alerted the others. 0021 raced along and punched the door straight out into space and got everyone out. She finally turned her back to face the structure as if to say that she was finally done with that era in her life…

And the base exploded.

Helios came into view; beaming at them and shining like the sun. He held Pandora's Box in his hands and three spools of thread on top of them. Generation Zero appeared next to him, and all of them were smiling.

"Black Ghost is done. Here…" Kronos said, opening a swirling vortex. 0099, a much younger version, stepped out. Her face was the same. From behind her jumped the one that had helped them during Operation Boom and Dust.

"It's my time," 0021 said, beginning to fade away. "I have to return to my body to heal fully. I'll remember this for the rest of my life," She said. Before she was gone, she grabbed 009 into a deep kiss. As she faded away, she parted and waved to him.

"Oh, holy shit," 0014 said, looking at where the base had been. All the debris was being sucked in by Earth's gravity.

They needed to save the planet without the whole team.

"This is your issue," Omega said, jumping for a meteor. "But we'll help. That was an awesome kiss."

Hope held out her tiny hands. "Come on, 003. Let's save the world."

_**I need a hero  
**__**I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night  
**__**And he's gotta be strong  
**__**And he's gotta be fast  
**__**And he's gotta be fresh from the fight!**_

In the jets, they were a lot more effective. They could blast the meteors before they even entered the atmosphere. Generation Zero, Luna, Umbra, Diana, Artemis, and Helios opted to stay out of the jets and use their powers to fight instead.

"LUNA RAY!" Diana and Luna shouted together. White bands wrapped around several meteors and hauled them back up, where 006 and 0016 burned them to a crisp. 0042 was harnessing the power of hydraulics to destroy meteors as they fell.

Diana faltered. "I can't take any more of this," She said weakly. Luna gave a determined look and blasted another meteor.

"Relax, Diana. You can rest. Or, you can go with 009 and Artemis to destroy the three bases." Luna replied. Diana closed her eyes. "I see."

009 and Artemis flew off toward the three orbiting bases.

"You destroy one, I destroy one, we destroy one together," Artemis confirmed. 009 used the bullets in the jet to destroy the base. All the glass and machinery shattered. Artemis simply held out her hand and the base exploded. Umbra set out a shield to protect the debris from falling to Earth.

Hope stood on 003's shoulders and thrust her hands out. "Open your heart, 003. We can destroy all these things and give everyone hope."

003 closed her eyes and opened her mind. She was aware of a tiny presence at the back of her mind. Without knowing, she whispered, "Give them all the hope they could ever ask for."

A pale purple blast shook the universe. 003's eyes snapped open. All the meteors were gone. The debris had vanished. Pandora was standing next to her. Hope was hugging her with all she could muster with her tiny body.

"Oh my God," 0016 said.

In front of her was a smiling Alexa, clad in a white summer dress. Jessica and Raven stood next to her, beaming as if there were no tomorrow.

"We're alive," Alexa breathed, not knowing what would happen. She skipped and laughed and flung her arms around Andrew. Pandora held a black crystal in her right hand, and a pale blue one in her left. She crushed the black one in her palm, smiled and shook her head. Alexa hugged Andrew, and Jessica and Raven hugged Artemis and Diana.

"Let's get back," Epona suggested. All the cyborgs but 009 flew back. He flew off into the horizon.

_**I NEED A HERO! ((Sadie and Joe jump onto the piano just as the lights on stage go out and the lights in the audience go on. Audience explodes with clapping and the curtains close.))**_


	11. Poco Diminuendo

From here on out, things get quieter. Last chapter was absolute insanity, totaling up to twenty-one pages on Microsoft Word. It tied The Cyborg Children's ninth chapter for longest ever. Strangely enough, both are songfic formatted to Holding Out for a Hero.

Wanna continue the fun after this story has been completed? Check out Fine, the tie-in that shall rock your hair off your head! Fine details all ten generations, and includes an epilogue with what could have happened. It's a ton of related one-shots with two written by my sisters, and one by Sadie! Whee!

Poco Diminuendo means to get quieter little by little. Aren't we happy now that we know more music terms? I don't own those, or many of the characters in this story…This chapter contains many of my favorite scenes that took me the longest time to perfect. See if you can guess which one took the most effort.

-&-&-&-

D.S. al Coda

Chapter Eleven: Poco Diminuendo

-&-&-&-&-

009 could see the glass atrium now, after a long flight around Earth. He could see the blurry outlines of the damaged jets, and specks that were most likely people. The atrium door leading into space was open, awaiting his arrival.

As he drew closer, he saw ISV waiting for him. She brightened and cleared him to land.

Once he had landed, she popped the hatch open. "Hey, where have you been? Fate and 003 were scared shitless that you had been killed and Kronos didn't rescue you."

009 jumped out of the jet. "I've just been out to clear my head. I felt…"

ISV gave him a doubting look. "Of course, 009. Like I haven't heard that before with any of the people I live with. But, men always like to be right. Are you hurt?"

They walked across the atrium. 009 saw all the jets, lined up neatly. 002 was talking with Epsilon next to his. 0034 and 0050 had fallen asleep in theirs. 0021's jet was all cleaned up, but 0021 was nowhere in sight. The last jet in the line was 0017's jet. It was still in absolute disrepair. 009 looked across to see ISV's worried purple eyes.

"Sorry, 009. I have a bad reputation to loose my temper like that." ISV said. They reached the door of the atrium. ISV opened it and led him to a different area than the one they'd first entered.

"How…how do you grow plants up here?" 009 asked, puzzled. There were overflowing planters of hundreds upon thousands of plants. Fate entered and gasped upon seeing 009.

"Don't scare me like that!" She pouted. She was on the verge of tears. "I've been at the edge of my mind worrying for you!" The tears spilled down her cheeks. ISV bit her lip and hugged poor Fate.

009 saw something odd. From Fate's tapering fingers, ivory thread was tied and streamed off into oblivion, fluttering in a nonexistent breeze. ISV's fingers were tied with bright purple and blood red thread, also fluttering.

ISV caught his gaze. "So you can see the thread. That's highly unusual. Come on, let's get Fate to go to bed and then you can go do as you please."

-&-&-&-

"God damn it," 0021 mumbled. "I shouldn't have let her get to my head…"

She lifted more wreckage off of 0017's jet. In truth, she shouldn't have budged from her own jet, but 0021 had partially healed herself. Red strips of cloth were the best she could do to bind her cuts.

"Oy, fuck!" 0021 cursed, accidentally hitting herself with a metal bar. She saw a glint of red and dug further, obtaining several scratches and gashes in the process. She had uncovered 0017 at long last. 0021 lifted, with great effort, the near-dead cyborg and rushed off to where the Dolphin was.

"Was that 0021?" OV asked Epona lazily. Epona looked up from watering all her plants (for it was she who had demanded the plants) to see 0021 limping by. OV left Epona to mind the flowers.

"0021! Hang on a second!" OV called after 0021. 0021 turned around to face OV, and OV saw 0017 in 0021's arms. "Oh my goodness, is she alive?"

"Barely…but yes." 0021 replied. She continued toward the Dolphin with 0017 in her weak arms.

They finally reached the Dolphin. It was wide open, with Diana lying in a feverish sleep on the couch, and Umbra, Luna and Artemis in deep conversation. 0021 marched right past them to the infirmary. 0021 laid 0017 on the first bed she saw.

"First thing's first. Let's get her…" 0021 began, right before fainting. OV sighed and hoisted 0021 up as well.

(Pandora, come on. There's stuff to do.)

-&-&-&-

_Holy fucking shit. Where am I? _0043 asked herself upon waking up. She wasn't in her uniform any longer. She sat up and found herself in a room made of tinted green glass.

"So you're awake," 0043 heard ISV say. 0043 turned and saw ISV sitting in a chair, rocking backwards. "Don't try moving your leg. The bone in your right leg is shattered from that crusade Panthos sent you on."

0043 just blinked. "Okay, fine. I won't."

Panthos entered from the glass door. "Eh, sorry about that 0043. Fate wouldn't let us out so we could help, so I had no choice but to send you two out there."

"And everyone else?"

"0017 is barely alive, 007 is his normal self, 0034 is still in her jet, and according to Pandora, 0021 also got it. Everyone got it to some degree, but only those special few got it like you did. Don't you feel special?"

"Matter of fact, I don't."

Panthos just laughed. "I'll be off, then. I promised Umbra that I'd help her."

-&-&-&-

0050 woke up in her jet. She could remember flying, then being so tired that she couldn't even get out of her jet. Yawning, she lifted the hatch open and found herself in the glass atrium. Next to her jet was 0034's. It was burnt, and 0034 was lying toasted inside. 0050 kicked the hatch inward and pulled 0034 out.

"0050!" Epsilon shouted from across the atrium. He ran over to where she was on 0050's jet. "Holy shit! Come with me. I can help both of you."

Omega was standing next to the door of the atrium as they left. Epsilon managed to ruffle her hair as they went by.

"I feel lucky that it was only my one damn rib," She murmured, walking back to the garden. Epona was still watering the flowers when she got there.

"Omega, you know that you shouldn't be out of bed yet," Epona said. Her bright green eyes were dulled a little. She sighed and tried to smile. "Wanna help with the flowers?…"

Epona turned the hose off and sat down on a glass bench. Omega sat down next to her and laid an arm around her friend.

"You're not fooling me, Epona. You and Fate have been waiting up with the rest of the cyborgs. But you understand death. I do too, but in a very different sense. Look, Pona, I'll take care of the flowers for you. Go and get yourself some sleep, for all our sakes." Omega said.

"It feels just like when we ran…" Epona said. Omega smiled.

"It does. Now quit stalling and go to bed." Omega said.

-&-&-&-

002 sighed and lay back on his bed. This didn't feel right. He _did_ hate 0021 with a passion, but it didn't feel the same without her pulling pranks every five minutes.

The door creaked open and 0014 stepped through. He bolted up.

"Don't worry about that, Jet," She said. She was barefoot and climbed onto the bed behind him. "I couldn't sleep, so I came to bug you."

"Gee, I feel honored," He muttered. She pressed herself onto his back.

"Jet, you haven't been yourself lately," 0014 pouted. "I want to know what's wrong."

She tickled his neck. He turned around and found her sitting childishly with her legs spread apart.

"Tirzah…it was 0099. She told me that she was my girlfriend if Operation Boom and Dust was successful." 002 answered 0014's question. 0014 grabbed him and rolled him over onto the bed.

"Well, Jet, let's fix that," She said, tickling his stomach. ((warning! Interesting scene ahead! Viewer discretion is advised!)) 002 tickled her right back. Finally, 0014 kissed him. He returned the kiss. 0014 began to do more than just tickle him. She eased his shirt up little by little and finally yanked it off him. She kissed his broad chest and laid her head across his breast.

"Come on, Jet," She teased.

"We'll see how long you last," 002 answered, pulling her shirt off. 0014 giggled and continued her kisses. 002 kissed her right back and fumbled with her bra. He managed to get it off and stripped her of it, leaving her breasts exposed to him. She laid her head on his stomach and licked it, tracing his belt.

In one swift move, the belt was off. 0014 began to kiss his legs, pulling his shorts and jeans along with her. She was going all the way. 002 unzipped 0014's own jeans and undid the button. The two stood up, now completely nude. 0014 giggled and threw herself back onto the bed. She grabbed 002 by the waist and kissed all of him. 002 pulled her right back up and kissed each of her breasts.

"Take me away, Jet," 0014 whispered in his ear. She caressed his back and kissed his neck. He, in turn, kissed her neck and pinched her ass. He finally eased her onto the bed and pulled the blanket over as he lay down.

"I'm gonna, Tiz," He muttered.

"I love you, Jet…"

"I love you too."

((okay, it's safe to open your eyes now.))

-&-&-&-

0021 woke up the next morning with her head swimming. She gradually opened her eyes with a large effort and managed to cover them with her hands.

"Tired?" A boy asked next to her. She turned over and saw Panthos. "Don't worry about getting up. Somnis and Pandora have it covered for the time being."

"What about…0017?" 0021 asked. She found herself able to sit up. Panthos ran his fingers through his ponytail.

"Better. Maybe you two can go crash into one another in a few days so we have more to do around here." Panthos answered.

"Panthos, that's not funny," A stressed Pandora said. Panthos cast her a grin and she showed him pure malice. "Go help Luna with Diana. I'm sure 0021 can manage without you for five minutes."

He mumbled something about women then left. Pandora grinned at 0021 as soon as he was out of the room. "He was right. You needn't worry about leaving that bed. You're hardly recovered and you tried to go back over and heal yourself. We got some of the bruises, but we also have a few others to worry about."

0021 shrugged. "Please, don't worry about me. I can take care of myself. I'll help you heal 0017. It was my fault."

ISV shoved her back into the bed. "I did not spend all night healing you for jack diddly squat. I know you're worried. We all have been."

0021 rolled over to drown out the light. ISV laid a hand across her back.

"Everything will be fine, 0021. Provided that you don't try and heal yourself again, that is." ISV kidded. 0021 began to fall asleep once more.

-&-&-&-

_I feel like shit run over twice, _was the first thought that entered 0034's head upon her waking. She could feel that she was out of her uniform and in much softer clothing, and in a real bed. She opened her eyes to find 0050 and Omega sitting at her side.

"0034!" 0050 exclaimed. 0034 nearly fell back over as 0050 hugged her. "Now we can take you off the 'Endangered 00-Cyborgs' list. How do you feel on a scale of one to ten?"

"Negative thirty," 0034 answered shortly.

"That's better than what I thought," 0050 replied. "Well, at least you can move all your limbs. It seems as if Josephine didn't cause any lasting damage after all."

"What happened after she killed me?" 0034 demanded.

"Oh, you know. 003 opened Pandora's Box, we killed Josie, destroyed the Black Ghost Organization, the usual." Omega replied without a care in the world.

"Lovely," 0034 said.

-&-&-&-

A pair of gray eyes opened slowly, only to be washed in burning white light. They closed and their owner moaned. Her mouth was so dry and now her eyes hurt.

"It's nice to see you're finally up," She heard. Her eyes opened once again to register 0021 and 004. It had been 0021 who had spoken. "You scared the hell out of all of us."

"By doing what?" She demanded.

"Well, 0017…you nearly died." 004 said. "You've been out for over two days. Pandora and ISV have been working around the clock trying to heal you."

0017 rolled onto her side and saw a bandage wrapped around her stomach. Her arms were also in bandages, and her fingers were bound tightly with splints. Tears of horror began to form in her eyes. 0021 stood and left the room.

0017 began to cry into her pillow. She felt a hand on her back. She turned her head to look up into 004's silver-blue eyes.

"Anya…" 004 said. She pushed herself and kissed him.

-&-&-&-

"Are you _sure_ you're okay, 009?"

"Positive."

"Absolutely?"

"Yes, Verita."

The redhead looked at him with absolute concern. He was sitting out in Epona's garden…just sitting there. Her normally worried eyes grew even more concerned for him as he just looked at the sky through the glass.

"Okay then. I'll see you later." She said, then left him alone once more.

009 sighed. He had seen the state in which most of his teammates were in. They had gashes and broken bones, and even burns from fighting. Not even 003 and 0021 had escaped damage. He lay back in the flowerbeds.

"I wouldn't do that." Omega said. 009 jumped at the sound of her voice. "Calm down, and don't get comfortable in the flowers. Epona will cook alive you if she finds you like that."

009 sat up once again and Omega laughed at his surprised face.

"OV said you were upset over something."

"So? Shouldn't you be off…"

"No. I shouldn't be. I'd kill them."

009 blinked at her. She smiled, then sat down next to him and looked up at the stars.

"You see, 009, my parents knew that I was going to be the goddess of the end when they named me. My existence is wholly to destroy living things and bring them to their final rest. There are three other people here who understand death as I do: Kronos, Epona, and Fate. Kronos sees it as another thing in time going by. Epona sees it as the end of one life and the beginning of another. Fate sees it as one's destiny and one must die, it is their duty in life. I see it as the end – the _very_ end – of one's life. I was meant to bring the end.

"009…not all life is meant to be alive. My name itself – Omega – is the last letter of the Greek alphabet. The end is a very powerful thing, and I was meant to hold it in my body for all time. But the problem, you see…is then I would be dead." Omega explained. 009 felt bad for her. She smiled. "But hey, c'est la vie. That's life for you."

"So, when we were fighting…and you crashed…" 009 began. Omega nodded in response.

"There were things that denied their fate. 003 defied hers…and the only other one was you. You were supposed to die when you were sent into that nosedive. Fate was so scared because she wanted to be able to know that she didn't determine everything. She thought you had died…" She trailed off, seeing 009 spaced out in the flowers again. "009? Can you hear me?"

She stood up and looked at him. He was fast asleep. She laughed and lifted him into her arms. _Just to be safe, I'll make ISV see if he's fine like he says he is._ Omega thought, carrying him off to the Dolphin.

"WTAH?" ISV said too fast, jumbling her speech. Omega cast her off with a look.

"Calm down. I don't fall in love that easily." Omega said, laying him on a couch. Luna had taken Diana elsewhere. "I just came for you to check over him and see if he was fine, like your sister said he was."

ISV giggled. "Of course…but are you sure that you don't even…"

"I'm warning you, Somnis." Omega said. ISV twisted her face. Only Panthos called her Somnis, and he did because he knew it annoyed her. ISV looked to 009.

"He seems fine. Just tired. And you were so worried…because?" ISV laughed this time.

"PANTHOS! SOMNIS SAYS SHE LIKES YOU!" Omega shouted, then made a run for it.

-&-&-&-

Fate found herself watering Epona's flowers. Why she was, she had no idea. Epona had been asleep, and waking Epona was worse then invoking Josephine. Fate sighed and turned the hose off, returning it to its coil.

"Oh, hey. I didn't know anyone else was awake yet." 009 said, walking into the garden and finding it draped in a blanket of water. Fate turned around, her light brown eyes meeting 009's cinnamon ones. She smiled.

"Omega was worried for someone." Fate said. "She is usually pretty unforgiving and doesn't get very attached to people, because she knows they have to die. But you changed her. You made her less harsh."

009 smiled. Fate sat down on a bench and invited him to sit next to her. He accepted the offer.

"Fate…why to you have thread tied to your fingers?" 009 popped the question that had been weighing on his mind.

"Oh…those." Fate said, looking at her hands. "They're the threads of fate. I may not live on Earth any longer, but I still control fate."

009 nodded and Fate stretched her arms out. "You know when you fell asleep last night?"

Omega happened to be passing, then began to run when she saw ISV at the other end of the garden.

"I'M GOING TO GET YOU, BITCH!" ISV shouted, bounding after Omega. Fate sighed and realigned her threads.

"You started something." Fate said. She smiled. "It's one of the best things to happen in a very long time. ISV and Omega are…meh. You'd best find out from someone else."

It was different to see Fate smiling. She looked so much better when she had the dainty smile painted on her face. Panthos came running out, followed by ISV with a 0017's hammer. Panthos gave a yelp and began to sprint away, ISV roaring after him looking extremely ticked off.

"AND STAY OFFA ME!" ISV screamed. She brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled to Fate and 009. "Good morning!"

-&-&-&-&-

Sorry it took a whole month!


	12. Without Danger

**RIPRENDERE – COMING IN SEPTEMBER 2005**

Legal shit: I own the rights to Generation Zero and not much else. Cyborg 009 and the song from Code: LYOKO "A World Without Danger" do not belong to me. Well, who the hell cares? ((goes and buys the rights))

In this chapter, the last three OCs make their appearances. And they all know what's going on, and why it is. Can you guess who they are without cheating?…blah. And yes, all mythological things have been researched by Sadie and Mika. It's really quite interesting. The sequel shall be fun.

-&-&-&-

D.S. al Coda

Chapter Twelve: Without Danger

-&-&-&-&-

009 was looking at the stars again from Epona's garden. His red eyes sparkled in the light cast from various places. It was night, but he wasn't tired at all. He wanted rest, but it would not come.

"Hey, what are you doing out here?" 0021 asked. She walked to the planter he was laying in and sat down next to him. She wore jeans and a tank top. "I thought I would be the only one out this late. So, what's your excuse?"

009 shifted his glance to the girl. She was looking up into the sky, sitting cross-legged in the flowers with her hands sitting on her left leg. Something was different about her this time.

Then he realized. 0021 was sad. As if she could read thoughts, she turned to look at him and gave 009 her best smile.

"So…what are you going to do once we get back?" 0021 asked. Her voice wavered.

"I…don't know, really." 009 replied. 0021 looked into the flowers.

"I don't either. I have a lot to catch up on. I _am _in a high-powered high school program, and there's only a few months left to get two months of work done. And as for my family…" She said, pulling her legs to her chest. She buried her head in her legs.

009 realized that there wasn't very much for him to return to. He could try and find somewhere to work, but that wouldn't work very well. He had never really been in a _real_ school.

Looking to 0021, he saw that she had a life to get back to. Why else would she be so upset?

"Don't worry, 0021. You can catch up…why else you be in that program?" 009 tried. 0021 lifted her head and smiled.

"Good point. Aren't you a little nervous about what will happen with all of us?" 0021 said. Her hair fell to cover her eyes. 009 saw that she had tear stains running down her cheeks.

"Honestly…I have no idea what I'll do. There's not much in Japan for me. And to think of it…not anywhere else. There's no evil to fight any longer…" 009 responded to her question. He looked up at the stars.

"I'm sure you'll find something, 009. We all will, eventually. I suppose…" 0021 said. A grin crossed her face.

-&-&-&-

While 0021 and 009 thought they were the only ones awake, it turned out that they were not. Omega, Pandora, Epona, Fate, and the rest of Generation Zero were wide awake. It was time for them to decide something.

"We've been hiding here because of Black Ghost." Epona opened. "I guess I can rightfully say that we're living in a world without danger."

"I beg to differ, Mega. There will always be danger in the world, no matter that Black Ghost is gone." Fate interrupted. "You forget…we all have our own demons to face. My wings have been torn for eternity by all we've done…"

"Come on now, Fate." Poseidon said. "My brothers didn't fall in love with Pandora and yourself for no reason. But I do agree that we have a lot to face when we return to Earth."

A pair of white wings flew from Fate's back. They were, at one point, beautiful, but had long passed that stage. The bone stuck out at a strange angle on her ring wing. Through both were scars of varying sizes, in various shapes. Finally, the entire tip of the left wing was decked with rings, pierced through to her bone. Poseidon could remember the time when they had been pure…a very long time ago.

"I remember that. You invited both of them up here at one time. Fate and I had to hide for days until they left. As I recall…" Pandora said.

"Okay! I get the point! Sorry!" Poseidon said. "Was it really my fault that Hades fell in love with you?"

Pandora was silent. She turned her head away. ISV sighed, as did OV.

"I haven't seen you all in such a long time…" OV said. "I feel like I've missed an entire life, being locked away in that warehouse."

"Don't worry, Panthos can show you." Omega said. ISV shot her a scathing look. "In a one-man show, of course."

-&-&-&-

"Neeee…I'm sleepy…" 0021 said, curling up into the flowers. "Hang Epona if she tries to get me to move, 'kay?"

009 smiled to her. "Mind if I fall asleep on top of you?"

"Not at all. I'm probably nice and warm." 0021 replied. "Hey, 009, would you tell me something? You've gotta promise to be honest, though. I want an honest answer."

"Okay."

"Do you like me? As in like…almost love."

009 sat up to get a look at her face. It was devoid of emotion, but her eyes were sparkling with all it took. Her hair sat over one of her eyes and her head was turned to look up at the stars.

"What do you mean?"

"I'll ask you again, and don't be afraid to tell me the truth. Do you love me?"

"A little…"

"Okay. Do you love 003?"

"Yes…"

0021 smiled and turned her head back down. "I won't be mad at you. I'll go sleep somewhere else. Do you mind?"

009 looked at her. "Why won't you stay?"

0021 turned as she was walking. "You don't need me any longer. You've realized that you don't love me."

As he walked toward her, she hit her acceleration switch and ran away. He couldn't keep up, so he didn't try. All 009 did was sit back down on the planter and eventually fell asleep from worrying too much.

-&-&-&-

The next morning, 0021 looked blankly down to Earth. She wore a red t-shirt with "The Real Thing!" stamped on it in white, medium blue flared jeans, and black shoes. Her hair was down, and she held the Keyblade in her hand.

"You look depressed." 0015 said. "And that takes something. Did 009 finally dump you?"

0021 ran away with her accelerator. 0015 was right behind her, and seized 0021 and left acceleration mode.

"What the hell's wrong? 009 was pretty freaked out too when I was talking about you." 0015 said, holding 0021 so she couldn't run again.

"I'm not telling." 0021 answered stubbornly. 0015 sighed and took the Keyblade.

"What if I use this?" 0015 demanded. 0021 shook in fear and tried to back away. "This isn't right, 0021. Fuck, if I could, I'd force the truth out of you or 009. Something's not right with either of you."

0021 squirmed out of 0015's grasp and ran away. 0015 left her to go. Epona took her place.

"Either something they ate was poison, or something is really fucked up between them." 0015 noted. Epona nodded.

"Your 'crack addict' is nowhere near as perky as she was when she was fighting. I doubt that someone would have the guts to poison 0021, and because of her, afraid to poison 009. Therefore, we have eliminated the possibility of poisoning. So, do you think someone busted them making out or something?" Epona commented.

"Eh, no. I don't think 0021 would be too upset to talk if that happened. She'd have disemboweled them." 0015 replied casually. Epona shrugged and blinked in a way that probably meant that she could have guessed that much. They walked out toward the atrium.

-&-&-&-

Later that day, 0016 was out being…uh…0016? Yeah! 0016 was being herself out in the garden. 0021 stepped into the garden, and upon seeing 0016, ran away once again. 0016 noticed, and didn't care. She returned to polishing her nails.

Unfortunately, as 0021 tried to escape being seen, ran head-first into 009. 0021 looked up at him and screamed. Before she could run, he seized her by the wrist. Wriggle as she might, she could not get loose. As she went into acceleration mode, she took him right along with her. Once she saw this, she stopped and turned around to face him.

"Look…I'm sorry." 0021 said, casting her gaze to the ground. "I'm going back to Earth. I don't want to stay any longer. I have to get back home."

She ran off again. 009 sighed and found that Fate was standing next to him. He jumped in surprise.

"Jesus, what the hell happened?" Fate asked him. "Last night you were getting along just fine, and here we are now, the bridge between you burned. So, who did what?"

009 shook his head and turned the other way. Fate sighed and Verita came in.

"Things are only getting worse. 0021's planning to get back to her home." Verita said. "I hope neither of them take this too far…"

"Do you know what happened?" Fate asked.

"I…uh…erm…yes." Verita confessed. "0021 has finally discovered that 009 loves 003."

"She shouldn't be taking it this bad. Well…I only mean to say…she's already gone through thirteen boys." Fate said.

"I wish _I_ could get that to happen." 0016 said. "I had Jet for a while…then those dorks at the shop…but never thirteen of 'em. Testosterone doesn't come cheap, right?"

"Around here, we happen to have a high supply." Verita mused.

-&-&-&-

And thus the day continued, with 0021 and 009 being completely antisocial and not many things that were interesting occurred. Sure, 004 and 0017 stayed close to one another, and 002 and 0014 played strip poker with them, but that was as interesting as it got. 009 and 0021 continued to avoid any and all social contact, even with Umbra and Luna.

Which turned into a very interesting predicament at dinner. When Luna sat down, Diana, Heilos, Umbra, Artemis and two other girls sat down near her. One had silvery-white hair tied into a bun, and the other had soft blond hair that fell to her shoulders. Both had amazing blue eyes.

"Oh, pardon me. These two are Selene and Eos." Luna said. Poseidon grinned.

"Hey, does that mean Zeus and Hades can come over?" Poseidon asked. Pandora threw her box at him.

"Selene and Eos mean no harm. You idiots couldn't even get us under you if you paid us to. You don't see me inviting my family over here, do you? They're a special case." Pandora said. She turned to the rest of the group, including all the socially active cyborgs and the rest of Generation Zero. "Luna, Diana, Artemis, Umbra, and Selene are all beings of the moon. Helios and Apollo, who are twins, are respectively the sun. Eos, the dawn, is a twin to Selene. I have no family. Poseidon's family includes Hades, God of the underworld, Zeus, the God of Gods, and their sisters Hera, Demeter, and Hestia."

"Pandora's still ticked off at Zeus for creating her." Poseidon said, earning another thump with the box. "But Pan can't remember what my sisters were. Hera was Goddess of marriage and childbirth, Hestia of the hearth, and Demeter of fertility."

"Not me, as in myself. He created my way-great grandmother." Pandora explained. "Hey, Eos, why isn't Apollo here?"

"He'll be here. He won't miss a chance for free food." Umbra said. Seconds later, true to the sister's words, a boy with flaming orange hair fell out of the air to sit next to Diana.

"I warned you." Umbra said. This boy, Apollo, carried the characteristic blue eyes. "I know what you're thinking. Apollo is dead, right? He isn't. This is a different Apollo, from a different family. Artemis and Apollo, according to Greek mythology, were twins born to Zeus. That's partially true."

"But the real Apollo…that means…" 003 said. Luna nodded.

"I can explain some of this to you. The _real _Artemis, Apollo, Selene, Eos and Helios were Greek Gods and Goddesses. Diana and Luna are counterparts of Artemis and Selene respectively. Umbra is the shadow of the moon, and not a Goddess of any sort, to my knowledge." Selene said. Her voice was hardly above a whisper. "What you call Generation Zero are fragments of Gods and Goddesses. Pandora and Poseidon are of Greek Mythology, as am I. Kronos is a God. Veritas, divided between OV and ISV, is the God of truth. Neither knew that 'Veritas' meant 'truth'. Epona is a figure from Japan, and Omega has already explained that she is the personification of the end. Fate is not a Goddess, but controls fate."

0021 crept into the room. Selene caught her entrance and nodded. Eos picked up the story line.

"When Black Ghost learned of these powers in humans, he sought them out. The original ten members were asked if they wished to become cyborgs, and all ten declined the offer. They had to run for their lives, but one was captured and became the first ever cyborg. In the immediate years after that, roughly one hundred people were turned into prototype cyborgs. Years later, the first four final cyborgs were completed. Sixty years later, five more cyborgs were successfully completed." Eos continued. "And even now, we have a whole new generation. Artemis has been taken in and put under hypnosis. Am I confusing you at all?"

"It makes sense," 004 said. "I see the reasoning behind not asking whether or not we'd like to have been reconstructed, but it still seems pretty pointless."

Eos smiled. "We know all this because of Artemis. They took Diana along with Artemis by Artemis's request. Diana was constantly relaying us information about the Black Ghost organization, and we contacted ISV about it. All this information has taken us three years to compile.

"Originally, our mother was related to Verita's mother. We are cousins." Eos finished her explanation. Fate stepped in and saw that Selene, Eos and Apollo had arrived in her absence. She smiled and took a seat.

"But that doesn't answer the question of why we were created," 0017 said. Pandora looked up.

"I can tell you that." Pandora said, righting herself in her seat. "Black Ghost, or Scarl, since he first laid eyes on my box, has wanted it. Pandora's Box, as you all know from myths, contains evil things. The true Pandora opened it thousands of years ago, and she and Prometheus sealed it shut. Only one with a pure heart could open the box again and free the sleeping Hope. Scarl wanted to open the box to wholly fill his desire of controlling the entire universe. If he had Hope, there would be no hope for others to have, because he would have it all.

"So he made himself as evil as possible. His children were as evil as possible. In time, one heart turned completely black. And as I said before, only one with a pure heart could open the box. But even before that, he created cyborgs. If no _human _could open it, a cyborg surely could. Thus came Generations One and Two, out of pure desire for the box. And still, he had not realized that it was very simple. To open the box, one must be free of all desires for oneself, and be completely selfless. No human, not even myself, meets those standards. Time wore on, and I did not come out. It was time for Generation Three.

"Now we came to realize that Akio and Rona, the guardians to the end of the world, could easily give us away. But that never happened. They defended us. And when you came, Fate said it was time. Time for both the box to be opened and to come out of hiding. For the first time ever, for most of us, we were able to control what we hadn't before. Omega learned to control her power, and most important, we learned how to link them. What you saw between Kronos and Fate was a product of such. Then you walked through the door. I think you can place the puzzle together from there."

All the while, she had nervously been playing with the latch of the box. Pandora lifted it and closed it in her fingers. She saw Selene and Eos smiling at her. Something was wiggling on her hands. It was warm. As she prepared to crush it with the box, she saw that it was a hand.

"I don't feel like eating anymore." 0016 announced and left.

"She doesn't like that she's been used, that's all." 0034 said.

"We all were." 0050 said, departing.

"What idiot left his hand on mine?" Pandora demanded. She hadn't seen that the hand belonged to none other than Poseidon.

-&-&-&-

Much later on that evening, 009 was in Epona's garden once again. He felt bad for having gotten the truth to 0021…but she had needed to have it sooner or later.

"Oh…I'll leave…" 0021 said, walking in and nearly walking out.

"Wait!" 009 shouted. She turned around.

"Yes?"

"Are you mad at me?"

"Uh…what do you want me to say?"

"ARE YOU MAD AT ME?"

"A little…it's actually the first time…"

"First time WHAT?"

"First time I've had this problem."

"WHAT problem?" He was loosing his temper. She looked so placidly calm, almost as if she didn't care that she was driving him insane by being in the same room.

"Love triangle. You're at the top of it." 0021 replied. He was standing now, almost ready to run to her and grab the teenager. She was ready to burst into tears at this. "It's my fault!"

And she exploded in tears, sinking to her knees and falling to the ground. 009 was lost for words and motion. He stumbled back onto the planter, sitting down once more and watching 0021 cry.

It lasted for about ten minutes. 0021 finally stopped crying and stood up. "It's obvious that you don't want me here. I'm leaving now."

As she was about to leave, 009 grabbed her by the arm and kissed her. Her eyes widened and her heart nearly stopped. But as she went into the ecstasy of the moment, she pushed him away.

"No…don't…" She said. She walked back toward the garden. "I've told you over and over again. _That's not for me_. Don't give it to me. Give it to 003."

009 couldn't understand. "Why, then, did you get so worked up?"

"I, like every other living thing on this planet, have emotions. When a boy tells me he doesn't like me, I take it. But it's sad. And 009…I feel wrong making you love me. So don't." 0021 explained. "Haven't you seen the look? When two people think they like one another. 003 has it for you, and you have it for her. I have it for you, but you don't for me. Sometimes it takes a while…but it comes."

009 sat down next to her on the planter. "So you're saying to go on living with 003 and not you? But I thought…" 0021 nodded. "I thought you loved me. And…"

"No, 009. I cannot force someone to feel something." 0021 said. "It's like trying to force the stars to stop shining."

And they sat out there, talking, until Epona chased them out that morning.

-&-&-&-

"We're coming back to Earth with you." Epona said. "It may be a little crowded…do you mind?..."

"We are too." Eos announced. "It won't be too long, will it? Once we get past the atmosphere, we should be safe…"

"YEAH! WHOO! EXPLICIT MAKEOUT OVER HERE!" 0021 shouted, exploding through the door. She wore a neon shirt and jeans with neon patches all over. Selene nearly jumped out of her skin at seeing 0021 so hyper.

"Uh…who?" Epona dared ask. There was really no need for it. A second later, Poseidon came through the door with Pandora in his arms. She was giggling at him. "…Never mind. Ugh. If you're making out the entire time, I'll use the beginning of something to go in…"

-&-&-&-&-

I think this is the last chapter…but there might be a real one after this. I have no idea! Don't hurt me! There will be a sequel indeed and an epilogue! Yay!


	13. Gone

Don't rant about me, please. If you wanna tell me something, say it to my face. Find my e-mail on my bio page and start talking to me. Ranting behind my back in stories you doubt I'd read is quite pointless. So now, for the rest of you normal people, we will now finish the last chapter of D.S. al Coda.

Oh, and so we're clear, I did not write the first part of this. Blame Sadie. ((pokes Sadie)) And check out our new site, My Cyborg My Property! It can be visited at **http(colonfrontslashfrontslash)www(dot)freewebz(dot)com(frontslash)zerozeroblank(frontslash)** . It is just getting started, but JOIN TO SAVE YOUR LIFE FROM RABID GNOMES!

-&-&-&-

D.S. al Coda

Chapter Thirteen: Gone

-&-&-&-&-

She hated him. Hated him to the very core of her body. She hated the way he helped her. She hated every single thing about him. _He _was a better leader than she was. Everyone liked _him_ more than her. She ignored him. She tried to cast him out of her mind. She even tried to give him away. Then she sold her heart. She wanted to be rid of him.

But he wouldn't leave. He was breaking her heart.

Emotion raged inside her. She was trying not to tell him anything except what need she needed to. And then she betrayed him. It was the only other thing she could think of to get rid of him. But it didn't work. And it tore at her. Every single time he walked by her, he drove her insane.

Project Meteor came up and died down. They had destroyed it. And then she saw fit to get the emotion out. Even before she could, she saw it.

And he broke her heart for good. Took it, stepped on it, and gave it back. The worst part about it, she knew that she didn't hate him. But he hated her. And he loved another.

-&-&-&-

0043 sat at the controls, piloting back down through the glass caves back to Earth. A lifeless 0016 sat next to her, all but frozen. Her chest barely rose and fell with her breath.

"Jet! Stop it!" 0014 said, the door opening in her wake. 002 chased after her, arms outstretched and fingers wiggling. 0016 stood up and darted for the door. 0043 walked out behind her, leaving the giggling set in the control room.

"Hey, 0016! Are you bored?" 0021 asked, swinging down from the ceiling.

"I don't care." 0016 said coldly, stalking off. 0021 continued hanging and saw 009 walking out of a door. She swung back up.

"BOO!" She screamed. Unfortunately, it had been Fate. She shrieked and ran away. "Well…it looks like my job here is done!"

0016 was standing in the kitchen. She sank down into a chair and a giggle came from the fridge.

"I'm watching you…" A would-be mysterious voice said, had it not been laughing.

"Panthos, shut the fuck up and get your ass out of here." 0016 snapped. The second fridge became a scowling Panthos.

"Someone isn't PMSing." He retorted, leaving. 0016 rocked back in her chair, right before 002 walked in.

"Oh, sorry." He said, opening the real fridge.

"IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?" 0016 demanded. She grabbed him and turned him around to face her.

"Don't kill me. God, I never knew girls got this violent…" 002 said, trying to slip the death grip. The two hands giving it to him suddenly lit up with a red glow. "OKAY! OKAY! FORGIVE ME!"

"What the **hell** is up with all the damn screaming?" 0017 asked. "I am trying to convince…want, never mind."

"0017! GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!" 0016 roared. 0017 left, muttering something about being overprotective.

"What did I do?" 002 asked, still trying to play dumb.

"YOU BROKE MY DAMN HEART!" 0016 screamed, tears falling from her dark blue eyes. 002 dropped the half of a sandwich he was holding. "YOU RAN AWAY AND LEFT ME BEHIND! DAMN YOU!"

She let him go and stormed away. 002 picked his food up and sighed.

"Somehow, I knew this was going to happen…" He said, leaving to go back to the control room.

"What was all that screaming about?" 0014 asked, leaning over for a kiss.

"Kimmy. You remember her, don't you?" 002 explained. 0014 returned her attention to piloting.

"Yeah, I do. You were always picking on her, weren't you?" 0014 replied. "But she got you back, nearly killing you a couple weeks ago. I'm sure it's nothing for you to run and laugh at, is it?"

002 could tell that they were back in Earth's atmosphere. Rain was pattering gently on the Dolphin as they flew, and he knew who was controlling it. Sighing, he took a monstrous bite from the sandwich. Then he continued to pilot, all while getting the cold shoulder from 0014.

"Okay, fine. I'm sorry." 002 said after twenty minutes and the entire sandwich. 0014's purple eyes turned to look at him.

"Well then. I'm not the one you need to tell, am I? I'm already your girlfriend, and I don't need your pity for that." 0014 said. "Go. And get me some Coke."

"As long as you don't turn into 0021." 002 agreed, leaving the control room.

"WHAT ABOUT 0021?" 0021 demanded, falling from the ceiling. 002 screamed and ran past her. "Jeez, I didn't know I was that scary. Oh well! Time to go bug the hell out of someone else."

002 stopped running once he was a reasonable distance from 0021. Unleashing a breath, he turned around to get back to the kitchen. As soon as he did, he found himself suspended in mid-air by a pair of hands. He looked into a set of brilliant blue eyes.

"002, WHERE THE HELL DID YOU PUT MY PENDANT?" Artemis demanded.

"Oh…it's only you…" 002 said, sighing. "It should be in the kitchen. Have you seen 0016 around?"

"No, I haven't. We've been transporting people home." Artemis replied, releasing him from her grip. "I needed my pendant for the next one.

"Who's leaving?" 002 asked, piqued by curiosity.

"Oh, we're sending all of Generation Zero to their old homes." Artemis explained calmly, now walking to the kitchen. "Since their magic is also very strong, we have to reinforce our own. When would you like to leave?"

She seized her pendant and left him. 002 sighed and took a Coke from the fridge for 0014, then set out to find 0016. He was keen on doing such, but as he was sulking about it, he ran into 0016.

"Look, I'm sorry." 002 said. "For everything."

0016 blinked. "Thank…thank you."

-&-&-&-

The mood was subdued on the Dolphin the entire day. Only 0021 managed to be energetic about the whole thing, and even volunteered to keep the Dolphin after the whole affair was over.

"Besides," She explained, "Can anyone else pull up great masses of dirt from underground?"

"I hate to tell you this, 0021…but eleven of us can, including you." 0015 remarked, causing 0021's face to fall slightly.

"Don't be mean, 0015!" 0021 replied, smiling happily once again. "I only meant who can fix up an entire lighting system and flooring in about seven seconds?"

0015 just sighed. Within ten minutes, she, 0021, 002, 0014 and 009 were the only ones left on board.

"Well, it's been fun, bastard." 0021 said, slapping 002. "It was great meeting you, too, 0014. Here's my phone number in case you wanna call me."

In seconds, they were in an apartment in Manhattan. 0015 looked to her near-twin.

"My name is Ra. 0021, 009, I bid you farewell. It's been fun and all that jazz, but we all have things to get back to. For me, it's Riku-chan." 0015 said. 0021 nodded, and 0015 vanished.

"I guess it's just us now," 009 said. 0021 nodded. "Take care of yourself."

0021 hugged him one final time. "I'll never forget you, Joe."

They parted and he vanished. 0021 closed her eyes and appeared in an underground cavern, still inside the Dolphin. Checking the maps, she was home once again in California.

"Funny…time seems to take forever and now it seems like we all just met." 0021 said, ridding herself of the blue and gold uniform. "And they told us how it happened once before…how strange. It's like a D.S. al coda."

She left the Dolphin in her normal clothes, and turned off all the lights as she went along. It was over, they had won the big prize. But was it really over, for good?

-&-&-&-&-

NOW FOR THE EPILOGUE! And it'll all be over. Sorry for the very short chapter…


	14. The World is Not Enough

-&-&-&-

D.S. al Coda

Epilogue: The World is not Enough

-&-&-&-&-

009 sighed. He walked down the streets of Tokyo as it poured rain. His face was downcast, and he bumped into someone.

"Pardon me," A girl said. 009 looked up and saw a very familiar girl, blushing at him. She was in dark blue jeans, a black t-shirt over a gray-purple sweatshirt, black Converse, shoulder length light brown hair and spangled blue-green-gray eyes. It was 0021; the girl who broke hearts for fun, the girl that ultimately saved him from himself.

"Oh, 009!" 0021 exclaimed. She was soaked. "It's nice to see you here." Despite being so wet, she managed to hug him and smile.

"It's nice to see you too," 009 replied. "What are you doing here in Japan?"

0021 shrugged. "Looking for you. Are you still going out with 003?"

They began to walk together down the sidewalk. "Sort of. She's in Paris right now, working on a ballet. We're in touch, but it's not really the same."

0021 grinned weakly. "Same thing that happened to me. I had to go back and finish my sophomore year of high school. I just started winter vacation…I was actually able to graduate to my junior year."

"Congratulations," 009 said, for lack of anything better.

They continued walking together for a while, neither kept track of how long. Eventually, 0021 sneezed. 009 turned his neck to face her. She wiped her nose on her sleeve.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Are you?" 009 asked. "You're going to catch a cold if you stay out here much longer. Why don't we go inside?"

He pushed the door open to a small café. 0021 grinned and entered. Her phone began to ring and she pulled it out of her pocket.

"Oh. It's only Tiz. She'll be by soon." 0021 announced. She and 009 sat down at a small table and ordered two hot cocoas. 0021 smiled across at 009 as he returned her a puzzled look.

"Did you plan this?" He asked. 0021 shook her head.

"No. But we're all here." 0021 said. All noise in the café ceased.

A pair of two girls sitting together melted into the faces of 0043 and 0016. 0014 and 002 popped out from behind the counter. 007 transformed from a wall. A huge group of friends turned into 003, 004, 005, 0015, 0018, 0020, 0037, 0049 and 0061. Another group became 006, 007, 008, Diana, Andrew, Artemis, 0042, 0034, and 0050. One last girl became 0017.

"I told you," 0021 said, beaming at 009's puzzlement. "Don't you understand? It's never over. Like a song."

009 only nodded. He looked around.

"Like taking a D.S. al coda." 0021 said.

"D.S. al coda…"

-&-&-&-&-&-

**D.S. AL CODA – THE END**

Yes, here it is. We've finally made it to owari! I'm so happy! Since there is going to be a sequel, my thanks will wait until the end of it. But thanks for reading from February to August! You guys are so totally awesome! See you in Riprendere, in September!

This has been Mika and Sadie, signing out.


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